PORTLAND (AP) – Responding to criticism from the governors and congressional delegations of Maine and New Hampshire, a top Navy official has canceled his planned visit to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Shipyard advocates said Wayne Arny, acting deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for installations and facilities, planned a visit during the coming week to analyze the cost of environmental clean-up operations if the shipyard closes as the Pentagon recommends.

Critics said such a visit would be premature because the Base Realignment and Closure Commission has yet to make its final recommendations to President Bush.

A policy adviser to Maine Gov. John Baldacci said his boss was “quite disappointed” when he heard of Arny’s planned visit, saying it was similar to having “the verdict issued before the trial is completed.”

“(Arny’s) office said they understood the position of the governor’s office,” Lance Boucher said.

In a joint statement, the Maine and New Hampshire congressional delegations said canceling the trip was appropriate.

Arny’s trip “would have presupposed the findings of the independent BRAC commission, which continues to review information provided by the delegation and community groups that shows substantial deviation from the BRAC selection criteria,” the statement said.

Other advocates said they were wary of the visit, even though the trip could have been a positive sign that the Navy is revisiting its figures.

“It’s either very late or extremely premature for someone to be doing that sort of analysis,” said Dick Ingram, one of the chairmen of the Save Our Shipyard Task Force.

Paul O’Connor, president of the Metal Trades Council at the shipyard, said Arny’s visit was solely to put a value on the shipyard’s holdings.

“His function in this capacity would be that of a glorified real estate broker,” O’Connor said. “If the commissioners keep us on the list, which I hope they don’t, come back after that.”

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