SEATTLE (AP) -- The federal Government Accountability Office has denied an appeal that protested the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's decision to move its research fleet from Seattle's Lake Union to Newport, Ore.

On Thursday, the GAO essentially said the appeal was not filed soon enough. The appeal contended that NOAA's own environmental analysis showed the new location near the mouth of the Yaquina River is in a flood plain.

The city of Seattle, Washington state's congressional delegation and owners of the Lake Union property where the vessels are now based have been trying to persuade the Commerce Department to keep the four ships and an operations center in Seattle after NOAA's lease expires in June 2011. The vessels have been based in Seattle for 45 years.

In August, NOAA awarded a new 20-year lease to Newport.

The Seattle Times says it's not clear what options may remain for opponents of the move.

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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com

Copyright 2009 The AP.