NORFOLK -  The battle to get a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier moved to Florida is heating up again.

Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest Naval Base, is home to five nuclear-powered carriers and is now the sole base for East Coast aircraft carriers.

USS John F. Kennedy, which was decommissioned last March, had been at Mayport, Florida.

Last week, three Florida congressmen --  Sen. Mel Martinez, Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Ander Crenshaw — told Jacksonville business and municipal leaders they feel sure Congress will agree it’s important to keep at carrier at Mayport Naval Station.

On Friday, the Navy released its long-awaited study on that facility. The draft environmental impact statement lays out 13 alternatives for the 3,400-acre facility – from bringing a nuclear-powered carrier, two big-deck amphibious ships and five other warships to Mayport to not moving any ships there.

According to reports, the study doesn’t examine the financial impact on Hampton Roads should any ships leave local military bases.

On Monday, Frank Robert, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance says such arguments have been studied and rejected before.  

Roberts says it makes no sense to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to get Mayport nuclear ready when Norfolk already is.

US Navy

USS George Washington

The final draft, including the Navy's preferred option, is expected by next January.

Meantime, Florida and the Navy are considering options that include moving other ships, like cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious assault ships, amphibious transport docks, and dock landing ships.

Hampton Roads, meantime, is scheduled to lose two carriers in the near future -- USS George Washington is going to Japan later this year; USS Carl Vinson will be based in San Diego in 2010 once it's overhaul at Northrop Grumman Newport News is complete.

By comparison, the Pacific Coast's five carriers are split among bases in California, Washington and Japan.