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EXTRA
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On the 1 May, 1944 her keel was laid and 15 October 1945 she was launched.
We stand in gratitude, respect and admiration to you all of you who have served aboard her for it was men like
you, in ships like her, who went forward to protect what we still hold so precious, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit
of Happiness.
As one of two veterans who serve as Trustees of ECOSAT, we understand the sacrifice that duty demands for we view
her by a different set of values and standards, for she is to us as she is to you, more than just a ship.
It is with this understanding that we dedicate our effort to preserve her as a Memorial for the sailors and airman
that paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our Nation.
We make no grand commitments, no wild promises and ask for nothing in return but your prayers. We simply state;
we will conduct ourselves and our efforts with the respect and the dignity that her very existence demands, for
we will do right by her or we will do nothing at all.
It is here that we will list the latest news on our Project in reverse chronological order, should you have any
questions, concerns or comments please feel free to contact us.
Stephen O'Neal
Chairman USS Oriskany CVA 34 Task Force |
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November 15 2003
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission votes 4-2 in favor of Escambia County as the State of Florida's
proposed location for the USS Oriskany artificial reef in the upcoming MARAD competition. ECOSAT extends to the
State of Florida and Escambia county its support in
a letter to Dr Chairman Roberts.
11 November 2003
The last piece of the South Florida puzzle fell into place with
the addition of the Palm Beach County Divers Association . The USS Oriskany Regional Task Force now consists of
the 3 counties of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami to include the Convention and Visitors Bureaus. The Task Force
now has the support of over 50 dive stores in the South Florida area as well as the major certification agencies.
24 October 2003
In a further development West Palm Beach County agrees to join the Miami and Broward Counties on USS Oriskany Regional
Task Force. The physical location of the Carrier will remain the same 444ft in Broward County and 444ft in Miami.
22 October 2003
In a letter of support members of the Congress of the United States, Senator Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and
Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Representative Mario-Diaz Balart co-sign a letter to Governor Jeb Bush respectfully
requesting his consideration of South Florida as the final destination for the USS Oriskany.
22 October 2003
The FWC announces that it will hold a public hearing to decide the sitting of the USS Oriskany based on the newly
released requirements of the US Navy on 20 October. The competition will be between the five counties capable of
handling the carrier and will be held in St Petersburg Florida on 14 November. The wining candidate's application
must then be presented to the US Navy by 20 November.
October 17 2003
The USS Oriskany Task Force presents a
draft Resolution for the USS Oriskany to the Miami Dade Delegation
of the State Legislature. The Resolution, sponsored by Senator Diaz de la Portilla, Representatives Marco Rubio
and Julio Robiana calls for the Governor to create an independent review board to evaluate and recommend potential
reefing locations for the USS Oriskany and other US Naval vessels based on economic development.
16 October 2003
In a watershed moment Broward and Miami Dade Counties have joined
forces to deploy the aircraft carrier on the county line, half in Broward and half in Miami Dade. Both the Broward
Visitor and Convention Bureau and the Department of Planning and Environmental Protection DPEP will join ECOSAT's
USS Oriskany CVA-34 Task Force.
16 October 2003
ECOSAT retains the services of Barry E Chambers of Argo ES&H
Services for the USS Oriskany Project. Barry is retired from the USCG, commanded the USCG first Atlantic Strike
Team and is considered by many to be the leading EPA expert in the fields of environmental regulatory issues and
vessel remediation.
He has extensive experience with the scraping of US Naval warships to include the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea
CVB 43 and was responsible for creating the environmental remediation protocols for the USS Spiegel Grove LSD 32.
The USS Spiegel Grove paved the way for other US Warships ships such as the USS Oriskany to be reefed.
3 October 2003
Governor Jeb Bush responds to the Historic Naval
Ships Association 7 August letter of concern over the reefing of the Oriskany 25 miles off shore in Escambia County.
30 September 2003
The US Navy awarded a reported $2.1 million remediation bid for
the USS Oriskany CVA-34 to be prepared and cleaned as an artificial reef to a joint venture in Beaumont Texas.
19 August 2003
The Unites States Navy and MARAD release their Artificial Reef Program Overview which contains the proposed application process and selection criteria for the USS Oriskany
CVA 34.
15 August 2003
Pursuant to § 119.01, Florida Statutes, ECOSAT
files a request with the Ken Haddad the Executive Director for
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation for all records and communications, including but not limited to all e-mail
and letters from FWCC Commissioners and FWCC Staff, concerning the Ex-USS Oriskany CVA 34.
12 August 2003
ECOSAT seeks assistance of the Governor in response to the FWC reconfirming its position at the 5 August
meeting of the South Florida Artificial Reef Co-Coordinators of West Palm, Broward and Miami Dade that the site
for the Oriskany is a closed matter.
"The bottom line here is that the FWC has made a political decision in advance of any knowledge of what the
US Navy's requirements are going to be " states Stephen O'Neal Chairman of ECOSAT. " That alone might
doom any chance of Florida being awarded the ship, since other States reefing sites are hands down above Escambia.
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"The FWC decision is based on a staff driven matrix that was created for political purposes behind closed
doors, without Sunshine in Government and is grossly at fault because among many things it penalizes South Florida
for being successful (see 17 July post). "
"The FWC staff now admits its matrix needs refinement, however what is truly needed is a fair and equitable
competition in the Sunshine between the five Florida counties capable of handling the USS Oriskany but only after
the US Navy releases its requirements and not on old fashioned Florida Cracker politics because the Chairman of
the FWC Edwin Roberts is from Escambia".
7 August 2003
The Historic Naval Ships Association voices its concern in a letter
to Governor Jeb Bush over the decision by the FWC to reef the USS Oriskany CVA 34 in Escambia in advance of any
knowledge of the United States Navy requirements.
24 July 2003
FWC announces a public workshop on the to be held August 5th in Broward County for the purpose of refining the
large ship matrix used by staff to recommend Escambia County as the location for the USS Oriskany should it be
awarded to the State of Florida.
The work shop which is to be from 6 to 8 pm follows the Regional Artificial Reef Coordinators Workshop both of
which will be held at the Anne Kolb Nature Center, 751 Sheridan Street, Hollywood Florida.
ECOSAT declines an invitation to attend as the USS Oriskany is stated by Mr. Dodrill to be a closed matter.
23 July 2003
In an email response to ECOSAT Ms. Pam Dana, Director of OTTED states.
" Thanks Stephen for your email and expression of concern...which I very much appreciate. From notes as yours,
I have spoken with the FWCC team--most specifically its Executive Director--and the organization clearly realizes
that the Oriskany is a widely valued vessel, and one which many parts of the state(and nation) want to serve as
permanent host to. That said, and while earlier indications may have lead some to think otherwise, I remain confident
that the FWCC intends to move forward in a manner which ensures that competition rules."
22 July 2003
ECOSAT files a protest of the FWC decision with the Governor's Office, the Director of OTTED and Department of
the Navy.
21 July 2003
The Dive Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), the international organization which represents the Diving
Industry worldwide writes a letter to Governor Jeb Bush voicing a decision by its Board of Directors to endorse
Miami's public private partnership with ECOSAT for the USS Oriskany CVA 34.
17 July 2003
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) holds a special meeting in Tallahassee on USS Oriskany,
giving the five competing Counties capable of handling a vessel the size of the Oriskany 6 minutes to make a oral
presentation.
The FWC votes unanimously on a staff
originated matrix and recommends awarding the USS Oriskany to
a site 25 miles of shore in Escambia County, Florida.
The matrix penalized economically successful artificial reef programs while according "special consideration"
to Escambia for Pensacola NAS.
15 July 2003
The Historic Naval Ships Association writes a letter of recommendation to the United States Navy for ECOSAT's USS Oriskany CVA-34 Memorial Project.
13 July 2003
ECOSAT formerly contacts Mr. Gossard of the Oriskany Reunion Association (ORA) to extend Honorary Chairman and
Special Advisor Position of the ORA to the USS Oriskany CVA 34 Task Force.
9 July 2003
ECOSAT Trustees, Rick Smith and Stephen O'Neal travel to Texas to inspect the ex USS Oriskany CVA 34.
27 June 2003
SupShip, Portsmouth, VA, releases for bid a Request for Proposal to remediate the USS Oriskany CVA 24 to be an
artificial reef. Bid period closes 1 August 2003.
17 June 2003
ECOSAT notifies the Inactive Ships Program Commander of NAVSEA in writing of its interest in applying
for the USS Oriskany as an Artificial Reef in Miami Florida.
5 May 2003
Dive Miami Inc forms the Dive Miami Alliance Inc., a non profit professional association of Miami Area Dive Stores
and Operators. Its mission statement is Diving Safety and the promotion of diving eco tourism in Miami Dade County.
23 April 2003
Jon Dodrill, Manager at FWC Fisheries Management responds to ECOSAT's letter to Director Pam Dana at OTTED by stating
" currently there are no active permits in Florida with depths great enough to accept a vessel the size of
the USS Oriskany ".
Mr. Dodrill goes on to require from ECOSAT a detailed status report on the ten year old 1993 B-727 Spirit of Miami
Artificial Reef project and subsequent requests for clarification on documentation provided by FWC go unanswered
without any communication from FWC until after the 17 July " Special Meeting " to reef the USS Oriskany
in Escambia County.
25 March 2003
ECOSAT contacts the Governor Jeb Bush's Office for assistance with the project and is referred to the
Director of the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development.
7 February 2003
ECOSAT retains the service of RADM James H Scott USN (retired) and Scott Advisory of Corpus Christi Texas to guide
the project. RADM Scott has extensive experience with Historic Naval Ship Museums such as the USS Lexington and
USS Midway.
16 June 2002
ECOSAT teams up with Dive Miami Inc, creator of the 1993 Boeing 727 Artificial Reef project the Spirit of Miami
14 June 2002
ECOSAT commences laying the foundation of the USS Oriskany CVA 34 Task Force business plan, a Public Private Partnership
that is organized to professionally address all relevant issues required to safely and successfully deploy the
carrier within a protected Memorial site one and one half miles off Miami Beach Florida.
17 May 2002
The Spiegel Grove is deployed off of Key Largo, Florida. This watershed moment, 8 years in the making heralds the
future of reefing of military ships. Two key individuals who are responsible are Captain Spencer Slate of Atlantis
Dive Center in Key Largo and Barry Chambers USCG (retired) of Virginia.
18 March 2002
ECOSAT contacts NAVSEA to discuss EPA / Navy PCB study and reefing of warships.
29 October 2001
The Historic Naval Ships Association presents its Russell
Booth Award to ECOSAT and Stephen O'Neal for its effort to save
the USS Cabot CVL-28.
1 April 2001
ECOSAT, a Historic Naval Ships Associate Member since 1997 selects the USS Oriskany CVA-34 as a ships acquisition
project. Her selection is due to the fact that her current condition is beyond saving as a Historic Naval Ships
Museum. The Carrier was moved from the West Coast to Beaumont Texas in late 1999. |
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