Rochester Could Take Big Hit If Shipyard Closes

By Mark Bevis on Friday, May 13, 2005.

listen:

While seacoast residents wait to see whether the Naval Shipyard will be on the Base Closure list, most attention has been on Portsmouth in New Hampshire and Kittery in Maine.

But Rochester claims to be home to more of New Hampshire's shipyard workers than any other town in the state.

And as NHPR's Mark Bevis reports, the town managers don't seem too worried.

According to City Manager Robert Steele, Rochester is home to about 250 shipyard workers.

And if the Pentagon announces that the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is on the Base Closing list, those 250 people could soon be out of work.

But Steel is looking at that possible future as a glass half full.

Tape:

Robert Steele is the City Manager of Rochester New Hampshire.

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's future is expected to be known by later today.

For NHPR News, this is Mark Bevis