Leahy Against Missile Interceptor Site in Vermont

September 12, 2013

“I’ve always felt that the multiple billions spent on missile defense are a monumental waste of money, on technologically challenged systems, and I am emphatically against putting one of these sites in Vermont.”

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[Text of letter to Senator Leahy, below:]

SEP. 12, 2013
Department of Defense
Missile Defense Agency
5700 18th Street
Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-5573

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Leahy:

Pursuant to section 227 of the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (FY 13 NDAA), the Department of Defense is conducting a study of possible additional locations to determine their suitability for a potential future interceptor deployment site. The Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Vermont is being considered as one of five candidate sites. Additional sites include: Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center, Ohio; NAS Portsmouth SERE Training Area, Maine; Fort Custer CTC, Michigan; and Fort Drum, New York.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) will contact the installation commands as part of a data gathering process associated with the siting study assessing potential candidate interceptor sites. Once the data gathering phase is complete, the sites will be reassessed to develop a list of the sites suitable for further consideration. On-site visits will be part of the reassessment.

There has been no decision to deploy an additional interceptor site in the United States. The Department is conducting this siting study and pursuing the follow-on Environmental

Impact Statement to meet the requirements mandated by section 227 of the FY13 NDAA (Public Law 112-239).

The Department of Defense is committed to open communication with Congress throughout this process. We will ensure you are kept aware as the process moves forward and are available to provide a more detailed briefing at your request. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Kimo Hollingsworth, MDA Director of Legislative Affairs, at 571 -231-8105.

Very Respectfully,

J.D. SYRING

Vice Admiral, USN

Director

Press Contact
David Carle: 202-224-3693