The Official Reason For Nixing FASTC Is Finally Published...

Assessment states why FASTC site dismissed
By BRUCE HOTCHKISS
Senior Editor, American Farm (publication date unknown)

RUTHSBURG, Md. — The long-anticipated draft environmental assessment of the plan to locate a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center on 2,000 acres in Queen Anne’s County confirms not only what opponents feared, but why it was abandoned by federal officials.

The precisely detailed assessment states that the facility would be noisy beyond acceptable standards, disruptive of the environment and of surrounding neighborhoods and residences, a dangerous nuisance on the roads leading to it, a threat to the Delmarva fox squirrel and a toxic imposition on activities at Tuckahoe State Park.

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State Department nixes foreign affairs facility on Eastern Shore
The State Department has abandoned plans for a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center at the Hunt Ray/Crismer Farm site on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, reopening its site selection process in the wake of fierce opposition from nearby residents.  read more

FASTC PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT read official announcement 

Proposed State Dept. training center 

MAP SOURCE: | The Washington Post - February 23, 2010

You’ve probably read about the 2,000 acres that the Federal Government is proposing to purchase near Centreville for a “hard skills training facility”.  But is it a hard skills facility after all?   What exactly defines "hard skills"?  There is a lot of information on this subject.

This will have a major impact and influence on our entire county.  Come to the meetings and hear for yourself.  You can also keep close tabs on this issue through this site and the Citizens for Greater Centreville site (http://cgc.centreville-md.net/).

4/2/2010 - The news and opinions are coming in faster than I can keep up, so please check back often.

Postcard from Ruthsburg read more

QA's Residents Witness Blasts At FASTC Demo read more

Let's get the FASTC facts on the table  read more

Comparable training centers fail to sway Ruthsburg facility's opponents read more

Official FASTC Site http://www.state.gov/recovery/fastc/

Locals fight fed center proposed for 'premium' Eastern Shore farmland read more

Group organizes for FASTC support read more

Proponents say fed center could be boon 
Chamber and business leaders say FASTC could breathe new life into local economies  read more

Metrinko: Local businesses threatened with boycott over FASTC support  read more

Survey finds majority of QA residents favor FASTC   read more

Expert says FASTC poll was legitimate 
Research groups says 403 people interviewed came from each area of Queen Anne's County read more

Georgia federal training center said to benefit community 
"I don't see any negatives," says Chamber of Commerce president  read more

Talbot, Caroline looking for alternative sites for FASTC  read more

QA residents clash at FASTC forum  read more

Federal FASTC forum draws 100s  read more

U.S. State Department training site draws concerns   read more

Download The Hunt Ray Farm Sale Brochure(1.9 MB) - Click Here

Residents see new FASTC info, voice concerns read more...

Check out This Video, and the Letter to The Commissioners/ Editor from Susan Hale, Past President of the Bay Area Association of Realtors... And a Rebuttal. Click Here
This 37-minute documentary (video in four parts) tells the story of a small town in Hidalgo County, New Mexico that, in a time of economic need, welcomed a federal security training facility into its midst. The story of how that came about, and what happened subsequently, is told by the residents themselves, against the background of a starkly beautiful Southwestern landscape. A must see no matter what position you have on this issue.  Is this an apples to apples comparison?  You decide. 

Some in Md. town call anti-terrorism training plan a dud read more...

Kratovil has questions, GSA has answers. read more... 

Bill Evans Guest Comment... read more...

Letter: It seems to be "business as usual" at Business Queen Anne's...  read more

More Letters to the Editorcan be found here

January 29, 2010 -  Received this today  from a KIDL web site visitor... 
" Please refer to the documents attached to the article entitled "We're Not Buying" on the CGC website. This is the link: http://wordpress.centreville-md.net/?p=1805 . The Dec 3rd solicitation concurred with the hard skills information GSA and the Department of State provided the Queen Anne's County commissioners back in August.  I have that documentation in the 2,000+ pages I have received from information act requests. Thanks." 

Jan 30, 2010 - A Queenstown resident sends us an email full of useful links and information, Click Here. 

FaceBook Groups:  (you must join the group to see the content.  If anyone is denied membership please send an email to the KIDL Web Guy right away. )
- Discuss and Stay Informed: Proposed Security Training Center in Ruthsburg, MD

- The REAL facts regarding the FASTC project in Ruthsburg

RFP that discloses the types of activities to be conducted there (and an email that questions the posted information, and the reply) . read more...

Commission gets earful about fed training site
 QA's Commissioner Gunther favors project 
In their first meeting since withdrawing support for the project and after two contentious public meetings last  week, the Queen Anne's County Commission on Tuesday received a generous helping of public opposition to the proposed federal training site. read more...

GSA bows to Mikulski's pressure
The General Services Administration has agreed to comply with the demands outlined by U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., to better address community concerns about the proposed Foreign Affairs Security Training Center in Ruthsburg, but is it too little too late? read more...

Group asks for QA training site inquiry 
Officials also critical of proposed Queen Anne's County project
 A Queen Anne's County environmental group has asked for an investigation into the federal government's decision to locate a security training center outside Centreville, as elected officials step up their own criticism of  the project.  read more...

Below are two more links to items that you should be sure to read.  The first is an article from the Star Democrat about a citizens meeting on this subject.  Below that is the RFP that discloses the types of activities to be conducted there. 

Citizens ready to fight State Dept. training center in QA

About 100 people came to a Dec. 17 meeting at the Ruthsburg Community Center to express their views and ask questions about the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center being considered for the Hunt Ray Farm property. 
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About 100 citizens who came to the Ruthsburg Community Center on Dec. 17 were advised to contact Queen Anne's County, state and federal officials to ask questions and express comments on the plan by the federal government to build a large facility in Ruthsburg that would serve as a training center for security personnel assigned to U.S. embassies. read more...

RFP that discloses the types of activities to be conducted there (and an email that questions the posted information) . read more...