S.F., Long Beach Port Projects for Navy Backed

A Senate Armed Services subcommittee approved a $27.5-million plan Wednesday to build a Navy home port in San Francisco and to upgrade the one in Long Beach.

A House committee turned down a similar provision in its version of the legislation earlier this month but is now showing growing acceptance of the idea.

The California ports are part of a controversial Navy plan to upgrade its fleet through construction and expansion of 13 home ports around the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts at an estimated cost of $799 million.

Approval for the Long Beach and San Francisco home ports came in a closed session of the Senate panel’s subcommittee on readiness, sources said. Next week, the measure will be sent to the full Armed Services Committee for consideration. A favorable vote is expected.

The proposed expansion of the Long Beach port is projected to cost $5.12 million and would include upgrading a pier to accommodate four frigates and support ships. Because the larger ships are equipped with elaborate electronic equipment, three electrical power substations would be replaced and power lines would be upgraded.

Port for Missouri

The subcommittee authorized $22.37 million for the 1988 fiscal year to renovate a pier on the south side of Treasure Island near San Francisco, to construct a power station and to dredge the area. That port would be home to the battleship Missouri.

In the past, the House has opposed the home port projects because of the cost and environmental concerns. The congressional general accounting office has questioned whether there is an adequate strategic need for the facilities and other critics have warned that, if defense funding declines in the future, the Navy’s resources would be spread too thin.

Congressional opposition has been eroding, however, under pressure from the Navy and from states where the projects would be located.

The Navy argues that a beefed-up fleet dispersed more widely among home ports would be better protected from attacks.

Early last month, Washington Gov. Booth Gardner endorsed the Navy’s proposal to create a home port in Everett, Wash. That port would accommodate the aircraft carrier Nimitz.