dailypress.com

 The unfortunate news of the closure of the International Paper plant in Isle of Wight County near Franklin stunned many of us in the Hampton Roads area. I have friends who work in the plant and can only begin to imagine the angst that the closure announcement has brought upon them and their families. Indeed, it is not just the 1,100 families with direct employment at the IP plant that are affected, but thousands of other families in the Franklin area who, indirectly, derive their income through plant employee spending. From local banks, restaurants, trucking companies, grocery stores and other retail establishments to doctors, dentists and druggists, this ripple effect could be devastating to the region surrounding the paper plant.

Is there a solution?

The Navy has proposed locating Oceana Naval Air Station's Outlying Landing Field (OLF) in the vicinity of Franklin. To date, the three local governments in the area have hired a Washington, D.C., lobbyist to convince federal officials not to permit the OLF to be located in this area. Those community leaders may want to rethink this decision in light of the IP closure. If these communities were receptive to the OLF, it would be my hope that priority is given to those employees who currently work at the IP plant when hiring begins for the construction of the new field.

In addition, given the heavy agricultural base in the area and abundant water resources, this would also be an ideal location for the Navy to continue work on its algae-to-jet-fuel program. The armed forces is desperately seeking alternative energy resources to power its military bases, both as a means to ensure national security as well as to meet the very aggressive renewable energy mandates set by the Department of Defense. It does not take much imagination to envision the OLF as an all-renewable energy military installation. The existing infrastructure that currently facilitates delivery and processing of wood products at the IP plant could also serve the same purpose to convert these wood products into cellulosic biofuel. We can also learn from New York City, which uses methane gas from landfills to power gas turbines. The OLF could use the same process to power the base. Thus, more jobs are created.

If we can be forward-thinking enough to take that leap into the future, the options are unlimited. We only need the political will to do so. With the hard-hitting announcement from International Paper, now is the time to act.

Finally, to those who still wish to flog the jet noise argument, we in Virginia Beach have long recognized that noise for what it is — the sound of freedom. And now, it just may be the sound of jobs.

Wagner is a Republican state senator from the 7th District.