An Ohio state representative has announced his support to bring the East Coast Missile Defense System to northeast Ohio.

An Ohio state representative has announced his support to bring the East Coast Missile Defense System to northeast Ohio.

This comes as the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is eyeing three sites to place missile batteries that would protect the country in the event of a missile attack.

The sites include Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center​ in Ravenna, Ohio, Fort Drum in New York and Fort Custer Training Center in Michigan. The decision by the MDA is expected within in the next few days.

Current sites already exist in Alaska and California

Representative John Boccieri (D) is pushing for Camp Ravenna to become the “iron dome” of the east coast. “Strategically, this site will protect the East Coast from growing ballistic missile threats and, if the DoD decides to use this base, it will not interrupt any current training by reservists.”

“This site selection will only increase the strong military presence in northeast Ohio and have a positive economic impact on a region that always steps forward to help defend the nation,” added Boccieri.

He says establishing the defense system at the New York and Michigan sites has been determined to cause major traffic impacts. At Fort Drum, there are potentially vulnerable structures close to the proposed facility.

Meantime, the MDA was slightly concerned about local contaminated groundwater and potential wetlands loss as a result of construction at the Camp Ravenna site.