Coast Guard opts not to close station in Eufaula ... yet

Under political pressure, the U.S. Coast Guard has changed course in its plans to close its station in Eufaula and to stop maintaining the channel marker system in Lake Walter F. George and in the river between it and Columbus. But it may be a temporary reprieve.

The Coast Guard announced in December that it was considering closing down the Aid to Navigation station at the lake, known as Lake Eufaula on the Alabama side, depending spending allotted in the Fiscal 2015 budget.

But then U.S. Reps. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., and Martha Roby, R-Ala., whose districts include the area, and U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions of Alabama intervened and urged the Coast Guard to reconsider.

On Monday, Sessions received a letter from Adm. Paul Zukunft, Coast Guard Commandant, informing him that he had reconsidered his decision, at least for the time being.

“After careful consideration, I am directing that ANT (aids to navigation team) remain open and continue to maaintain the federal aids to navigation throughout the (Appalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint) system until such time when the aids are no longer necessary for safe navigation or can be divested to state, local or private entities,” Zukunft wrote. Both Bishop and Roby praised the Coast Guard’s decision.

“For the sake of safety, commerce, and recreation, it is imperative that the ACF waterway remains securely navigable, and so I applaud the Coast Guard’s wise assessment,” Bishop said.

“This is good news for Eufaula and for the continued commerce that the lake and river bring to the area,” Roby said. “Of course, we must realize this decision is not permanent, but we are pleased that the Coast Guard will continue its operations for the foreseeable future.”

This story was originally published March 26, 2015 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Coast Guard opts not to close station in Eufaula ... yet."