INDIAN ISLAND – A proposal to expand the security zone around Naval Magazine Indian Island’s pier from 500 yards to 1,000 yards into Port Townsend Bay when a ship is docked will not include a floating fence, Navy officials said.

Navy officials had considered building a permanent floating security fence with openings at either end that would be closed when a Navy ship was docked at the pier.

The idea has been abandoned for the time being, Sean Hughes, Navy Region Northwest spokesman, said Friday.

“Any fence that may happen sometime is not part of this plan,” Hughes said.

“Any time the conversation came up about a fence [it was determined] there’s no money available through 2010.”

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, reported in August that the Navy told him it was considering constructing a floating fence to guard against possible terrorist threats.

Navy officials had also confirmed in late summer that building a fence was a possibility.

Hughes said that if a fence is proposed at some point, perhaps after 2010, then an environmental impact analysis would be conducted.