Navy Leader Assures Senator Collins that PNSY Infrastructure Projects are Currently Safe

Press Release

U.S. Senator Susan Collins questioned Vice Admiral Dixon Smith--the U.S. Navy's Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics--about the status of the three important military construction projects at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) at a Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.

As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins successfully secured $162 million for these three projects in the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2019 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill last year. The projects include the vital Dry Dock #1 Superflood Basin improvement, crane rail extension, and the replacement of a consolidated warehouse.

"Speaking of national treasures another national treasure is in the State of Maine -- it's the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Navy's submarines are able to accomplish their missions worldwide," said Senator Collins. "Last year the Navy requested and Congress appropriated $162 million for three very important military construction projects at [Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]… These projects now have award dates before September 30th. Do you anticipate executing these projects on schedule?"

"[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard] is phenomenal. It does great work up there. As you know I've had the opportunity to visit more than one occasion. It's a great workforce and a great team up there. At this point we are on track to award those three [projects]," responded Vice Admiral Smith.

Together, these three infrastructure projects will ensure that PNSY can efficiently dock both Los Angeles-class and Virginia-class submarines to conduct their maintenance, support the requirements to execute Los Angeles-class service life extensions in the years to come, and expand an outdated warehouse facility that will help the shipyard receive, inspect, and distribute submarine components for worldwide fleet support.

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