Delegate Mike McDermott Opinion On Hardwire Testing

Written by

Delegate Mike McDermott

Much has been stated lately regarding Hardwire LLC's use of the Worcester County Firearms Training Center site to test some of their armor products. The products are manufactured in Pocomoke City and are being utilized to protect our military members fighting to protect our freedoms around the world. The company is an Eastern Shore success story, starting in a garage and fast becoming a billion-dollar corporation and a star employer with an ever-increasing payroll.

Their product is bringing home our fighting men and women in one piece, and that's something for which we should all be grateful.

When important issues like this are discussed, common sense and known facts should not be checked at the door. This has not been the case with much that has been stated. Some would have you believe this area is a "pristine wilderness" that is going to soon have mushroom clouds on the horizon.

This is not a difference of opinion, it is an outright falsehood. We are talking about a barren surface mine and a large firing range, which has been discharging weapons and explosive devices for decades. Utilizing the same location to conduct much more limited and confined activities only makes sense.

To scare people with "ground water contamination" and some type of lost habitat is disgraceful and without any merit whatsoever.

We must have a balanced approach on land use. We need jobs and a prosperous local economy. This need not be in conflict with our environment. Eagles nest in the tall pines near the range, and one usually makes a low pass over the firing line each day I am there.

They have not fled the area; in fact, they prosper. They do this in the face of regular discharges of all manner of weapons and explosive devices for the past 20 years.

If you want to be taken seriously on the environment, intellectual honesty would be a good place to start.

We are a state that ranked dead last in job creation, and first in jobs lost. Hardwire could have located anywhere in the United States, but their president, George Tunis, chose to remain on the Shore with those who supported his dream. His product saves the lives of our real life heroes and has created a multitude of jobs and millions in tax revenues for Maryland and our local economy.

We need farming, fishing, tourism and industry to prosper.

"Governing for the good of the public" takes all of this into consideration minus the emotion and hyperbole.

I think the eagle gets it, and he does not seem to mind sharing.

» Delegate Mike McDermottR-38B, has served as range master for Worcester County for the past 20 years.

Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110919/OPINION01/109190317/Testing-appropriate-site

Exception Under Consideration in Worcester County

WBOC

NEWARK, Md. - Worcester County government is considering a special exception that would allow a local defense contractor to test products at the county firing range.

Bud Church, president of the Worcester County Commissioners, said allowing Pocomoke-based Hardwire LLC to occasionally test on the Newark range might keep jobs in the area.

"We can probably maintain a company that's continuing to grow in the county. It's someone we want to keep in the county, and the purpose is to help our military," Church said. "It would probably add additional jobs, so that's a plus-plus-plus for us."

Michael Cullen, who lives next to the firing range, says he is concerned about the testing affecting his property value or impacting wildlife.

"The shooting of small caliber pistols, that's not a big deal," Cullen said. "Very rarely does the government do some testing on cars. What effects will this have on property value?"

Church said environmental agencies have already approved testing at the county firing range.

A  public hearing before the Board of Zoning Appeals for Worcester County regarding the special exception is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Source;  http://www.wboc.com/story/15393792/military-testing?Call=Email&Format=HTML