Jerry Cornfield and Elaine Helm have the story in the Everett Herald:
EVERETT — It’s clear the USS Nimitz will be moored in Bremerton in a year and a half.
Whether the aircraft carrier winds up at Naval Station Everett in 2013 was a bit hazy Tuesday.
U.S. Navy officials would not confirm or deny a powerful congressman’s statement the Nimitz will replace the USS Abraham Lincoln when the Everett-based carrier travels east for refueling of its nuclear reactors.
The Navy has approved what is known as an administrative homeport change for the Nimitz from San Diego to Bremerton for maintenance beginning in January 2011 and ending in December of that year, said Lt. Glenn Sircy, a spokesman for the commander of Naval Air Forces in San Diego.
“That’s the only thing we have approved at this time,” he said.
That didn’t go as far as the statement Sunday by U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. It laid out a scenario in which the Nimitz will arrive at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for maintenance in December 2010 and succeed the Lincoln in 2013.
