Portman Statement on Camp Ravenna's Selection for Detailed Study as Possible Interceptor Deployment Site

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) released the following statement on Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center in Ohio being selected as one of four sites to receive an Environmental Impact Study to determine its suitability to house a ground-based system designed to intercept ballistic missiles:

"This is great news for Ravenna and Northeast Ohio. The recent site study by the Defense Department confirmed that Ravenna is well suited to fulfill this important mission," said Portman. "Northeast Ohio's strategic location, robust infrastructure, and skilled workforce make it a leading contender. The strong support from the local community for this potential new mission at Ravenna has made it even more attractive to missile defense planners. I look forward to continuing to work with the Defense Department as they move forward with the next phase of their assessment."

The FY13 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) required the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to identify a minimum of three locations for a possible third Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) site to receive Environmental Impact Studies (EIS). It also required MDA to develop a Contingency Plan to deploy the missile defense system to a third location. In September 2013, MDA announced that they would conduct a site assessment of five locations, including Camp Ravenna, to determine which locations would be suitable for this missile defense capability. Today, MDA announced that they plan to conduct an EIS on Camp Ravenna and three of the other four locations.

In October, Portman visited Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center to see first-hand the unique advantages that make it an optimal location for a proposed GMD site in the eastern United States. Portman also sent a letter to Vice Admiral James Syring, the Director of MDA, thanking the Agency for its consideration of Camp Ravenna for a proposed site and noting the unique capabilities of the location. In the letter, Portman highlighted that this GMD site would be a vital asset in protecting our nation from ballistic missile threats, particularly those posed by Iran and North Korea. While GMD sites in Alaska and California provide missile defense to the West Coast, they are poorly suited to defend against an attack launched from the Middle East.

In December, Senator Portman welcomed the inclusion of his bipartisan amendment language to the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to keep the Defense Department on track to complete plans for this missile defense site. The legislation ensures that MDA is working to complete the EIS and contingency plan to deploy the third missile defense interceptor site, if authorized. While the FY13 NDAA required MDA to initiate the EIS and Contingency Plan, this bill did not establish a clear timeline or deadline to complete these reports. Portman's legislation strengthened and clarified this existing provision by requiring MDA to provide a series of detailed progress reports every six months on its efforts to complete the plans in a timely manner. This will ensure that once a final site is chosen, the Defense Department will be prepared to promptly move forward with construction if funding is provided -- avoiding unnecessary delays. The FY14 NDAA also authorized an additional $5.2 million in Military Construction funds to improve the infrastructure at Camp Ravenna.

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