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Editorial: Endangered Species -- May We Ask Why?
May 2nd, 2007

Editorial: Editorial: a Free Press
April 21st, 2007

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April 7th, 2007

Editorial: Another Delay in Dock Repair
March 5th, 2007

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February 27th, 2007

Editorial: Editorial: Weakest Tax Link Examined
December 22nd, 2006

Editorial: A New Year`s Resolution -- For the Levy County Commission
December 10th, 2006

Editorial: Political Tides
November 17th, 2006

Editorial: Blue Pencil Needed on Levy County Budget
October 30th, 2006

Editorial: Fiscal Incompetence?
October 2nd, 2006

Editorial: Paddlers May Get Hit in Pocket
September 18th, 2006

Editorial: Time for Another Cedar Key Tea Party?
August 30th, 2006

Editorial: Automotive Turning Point
August 11th, 2006

Editorial: Are There Limits to Southern Hospitality?
July 24th, 2006

Editorial: Armadillos and Anthros
July 9th, 2006

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Bomb Range Inn

Bomb Range Inn

Editorial

The Air Force proposal to develop a bomb testing range in the Big Bend area should be a major concern for every citizen in the region. Although the only negative environmental impact may be a 30-foot hole in the ground and a frightened squirrel, the devastation to our eco-tourism economy may be deadly.

The first time the Air Force decides to test a weapon at the Big Bend Bomb Range, CNN and all the network news stations will run a story. It may have only a minimal impact on the environment, but that first bomb will destroy the perception that our region is the "Nature Coast", many of our would be tourists will quietly change their plans and not visit here. They may e-mail their friends who also enjoy fishing, scuba diving, sailing, bird watching, river tubing, or kayaking and tell them about the bomb range. They will probably look for a more "natural" place to visit on the Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia, or North Carolina coast. Those vacation choices will become part of their yearly routine and their children will also choose those other places for their natural based recreation.

There is ample room for this testing at Eglin Air Force base where the military has nearly 724 square miles of land on which to conduct these tests. There are many other military bases that would function for this purpose as well. But there is a risk of an accident with these tests and the military does not wish to place their assets at risk, so Levy, Dixie and Taylor Counties get bombed and our eco-tourist economy goes up in smoke.

The Bomb Range Bed and Breakfast does not have the same appeal as the Nature Coast Inn. The Air force did their homework on the environmental concerns, but they failed completely in addressing the economic impact of this proposal on our eco-tourism economy. It is a good time to contact our representative in the congress, Ginny Browne-Waite and Governor Bush to ask them to have the Air Force find a better location for this bomb range.

bombing


To contact Representative Ginny Browne-Waite:

US Representative Ginny Browne-Waite
1516 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515


Toll Free from anywhere in the 5th district:
1-866-GWAITE5


http://www.house.gov/brown-waite/contact.htm


Governor Jeb Bush
jeb.bush@myflorida.com


Write:
PL 05 The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001


Telephone:
850/488-4441
Fax: 850/487-0801


To contact the Air Force planner in charge of this project:


Ken Bristol
Natural Resource Planner
101 West D Avenue, Suite 222
Eglin AFB, FL 32542
kenneth.bristol@eglin.af.mil

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
United States Senate
Hart Senate Office Building
Room 716
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183

bill@billnelson.senate.gov


U.S. Senator Bob Graham
United States Senate
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3041
Fax: (202) 224-2237

http://graham.senate.gov/staff_contact.html

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Cedar Key News

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