Mayport moving forward with LCS construction projects, as Congress debates national emergency declaration

Jacksonville, FL — With the Senate set to vote next week on a House-backed resolution blocking President Trump's national emergency declaration, the Defense Department still isn't offering much insight on what military projects could be cut to make up the billions of dollars that would be shifted to the border wall.

The declaration would move $3.6 billion from already approved military construction projects toward border security. On Thursday, a Defense Department Spokesperson told WOKV that- at this time- there has been no decision on the specific projects that this funding will come from.

Despite that uncertainty, a local base with budgeted projects says they’re moving forward.

WOKV's Washington Insider Jamie Dupree says Naval Station Mayport has more than $100 million worth of projects in the federal budget. While local lawmakers have said they would fight against any change in that, the Defense directive is still unclear. Naval Facility Engineering Command Southeast now tells us they are currently moving forward with everything that is planned.

And we’re now getting a better idea of what those projects entail.

Some of that $110 million tab recently came under contract. The budget allowed for $29.1 million for a Littoral Combat Ship Training Facility Addition. That project came in under budget, with a $24.7 million contract now awarded to Archer Western Federal JV.

NAVFAC Southeast says the "addition" is actually a stand-alone building that will eventually be connected to the existing LCS Training Facility. The building will house "innovative, immersive, virtual reality training for LCS crews", according to NAVFAC Southeast. Work is expected to be completed by January 2021.

The rest of the budget- $82.3 million- is earmarked for an "LCS Support Facility". NAVFAC Southeast says this is actually two projects- a larger administrative building and a five-story parking facility. One of those elements is in the contract process, but no award has yet been made. The other is expected to be awarded some time between July and September.

WOKV asked about the degree of confidence NAVFAC Southeast has that all of these projects will take place. A Public Affairs Officer says they are currently moving forward with everything.

The intent of this project is to accommodate the increase in personnel that comes with the addition of LCS at Mayport. The base is a homeport for one variance of the ship, with several already there and 16 overall slated to call Mayport home by 2023.

The Senate is expected to vote next week on a House-passed resolution that would block the President's national emergency declaration. President Trump has said he would veto the action, if it makes it through the Senate.