Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente announced today that Mayor Fusco and himself have sent an official letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

Picente and Fusco actively pursuing East Coast Anti-Missile Defense System
Joint letter sent to Secretary of Defense officially expressing interest in the project

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente announced today that Mayor Fusco and himself have sent an official letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel requesting that Griffiss International Airport be considered for the Eastern Air Defense Sector.

Griffiss is a realigned military installation that was impacted by the base closure rounds in 1993 and 1995. This former SAC installation lost its B-52 and tanker refueling mission in the 1993 BRAC round. As a realigned installation, Griffiss is home to the Air Force Research Laboratory Rome Research Site (AFRL Rome), and the Eastern Defense Sector (EADS). Griffiss has been transformed into a mixed use business and technology park with more than 70 employers (including the retained military missions) and has more than 6,400 employees. Since 1995 Griffiss has attracted more than $485 million in public and private investment. Griffiss is currently home to the Griffiss International Airport.

County Executive Picente said “This community is very proud of the progress that has been made to make Griffiss a bright spot in our economy. We welcome this mission, with its economic and military benefits that come with it. Central New York must seize every opportunity for economic development that is presented to us, this is no exception.

Central or Northern New York could become the site of a, $3.6 billion development that would bring the region hundreds of new jobs. The missile defense site would be the only one on the East Coast. The Pentagon has said it will begin an environmental impact study later this year of potential East Coast sites to comply with a mandate from Congress.