It's easy to overlook what's in your own neighborhood.
The world arrives in Connecticut for the Naval Submarine Base New London at Groton, the U.S. Navy's first submarine base and "Home of the Submarine Force."
The state bond commission approved $7.65 million in grants for the United States Navy to fund infrastructure upgrades at the base, located on the east side of Thames River, and homeport to 17 attack submarines.
The main base occupies more than 687 acres and is home to more than 530 acres of family housing and supports more than 70 tenant commands including Commander Submarine Group 2, Naval Submarine School, Naval Submarine Support Facility, three submarine squadron staffs, and the housing and support facilities for more than 21,000 civilian workers, active-duty service members and their families.
Funds of $4.65 million are earmarked for upgrades to the Sub Base’s diver facility, and $3 million goes toward replacing the base’s power plant boilers.
The funds are part of $40 million set aside for infrastructure improvements on the base.
The Pentagon proposed closing the base during the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment process. Groton scored low on its “military value” to the Department of Defense, but an independent commission overruled the Pentagon.
”The submarine base has an annual economic impact that can be measured in billions of dollars, and we want to do all we can to keep it off of future closure lists,” according to Governor Rell. “We feel that we have come up with a creative way to accomplish that goal.”
State economists estimate that the 31,500 jobs are connected in some way to the base operations.
Nearby Electric Boat Corporation, a division of General Dynamics, makes and repairs submarines.
The Navy decides on a case-by-case basis whether to accept money from a state, under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which outlines the role of the armed forces.
In 1868, the State of Connecticut gave the Navy 112 acres of land along the Thames River to build a Naval Station. Due to a lack of federal funding, it was not until 1872 that two brick buildings and a T-shaped pier were constructed and officially declared a Navy Yard. This new yard was primarily used as a coaling station by Atlantic Fleet small craft, according to the official history of the base.
