The Defense Department in September said it was considering sites in Vermont, New York, Maine, Ohio and Michigan for the anti-missile bases often referred to as Star Wars defense bases.

The Vermont site, the Camp Ethan Allen training facility in Jericho, was removed from the list Friday, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said in a news release.

"The ground-based interceptors being contemplated for an East Coast missile defense site cost huge sums of money, without delivering reliable capability," Leahy said in a statement. "I welcome the news that Vermont’s Camp Ethan Allen will not be considered as a site, and I continue to pursue redirecting those funds toward projects that have more proven and cost-effective success in keeping Americans safe."

Environmental impact statements, similar to the one done for the F-35 fighter jet basing decision, will be conducted at four sites: Fort Drum, N.Y.; Portsmouth SERE Training Area, Maine (Rangeley); Camp Ravenna, Ohio; and Fort Custer, Mich.

The EIS process is expected to take up to two years, the Pentagon said. No decision has been made on whether a missile defense site will ever be built, the Missile Defense Agency said.