US Coast Guard to Close Nine NDGPS Sites

In 2015, the Coast Guard, Department of Transportation (DOT) and Army Corps of Engineers proposed decommissioning 62 of the then-existing 84 NDGPS sites. After reviewing the Federal Register comments, the number of site closures was reduced to 37 sites, including 28 DOT inland sites and nine Coast Guard maritime sites: Cold Bay, Alaska; Lompoc, Calif.; Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.; Pickford, Mich.; Saginaw Bay, Mich.; Brunswick, Maine; Key West, Fla.; Elgin, Fla.; and Isabela, Puerto Rico.

“With the numerous navigation tools available, we determined that this reduction in NDGPS sites does not pose a risk to the mariner,” said Cmdr. Justin Kimura from the Coast Guard Physical Aids to Navigation and Position, Navigation and Timing Division. “Mariner safety and situational awareness are our top priorities and these site closures will not affect that.” 

With the exception of Isabela and Cold Bay, where NDPGS coverage will stop due to a lack of expressed mariner interest in those areas, the Coast Guard said it will continue to provide single-site NDGPS coverage for port and harbor approaches in all areas currently covered by single or multiple-site coverage.

NDGPS transmissions will continue from the 39 Coast Guard and seven Army Corps of Engineers sites that remain open.