Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) wants to expand its F-16 pilot training airspace across southwestern New Mexico. Although the Air Force acknowledges that current airspace is adequate, it proposes an annual additional of 10,000 flights, discharge of 15,000 flares and 15,000 bundles of chaff. We shouldn’t sacrifice the Gila, America’s first wilderness when there are better places for this training.
Holloman has released a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) evaluating alternatives to expand airspace for training F-16 pilots. Alternatives 2 and 3 would add 4.5 million acres of Special Use Airspace, including the new Lobos Military Operations Area (MOA), for a total of 7 million acres of training area over the Gila Wilderness and the Rio Grande Valley. These are places that are quiet and distinguished by a wealth of unique natural assets. People living in these areas will not receive economic benefits from intense F16 training but will experience extreme noise, pollution, the threat of catastrophic fire and severe impacts to outdoor-based economies.
Impacts include:
• Extreme noise from training operations impacting rural communities, national forests, and wilderness areas.
• Dropping of flares significantly increasing wildfire risk to areas already vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire, with limited resources for firefighting.
• Use of aluminum chaff pollutes our environment.
• F16 training creates risk from military aircraft crashes, affects veterans seeking refuge to heal PTSD, and startles horses, livestock and wildlife affecting ranching, hunting, and backcountry recreation.
• These impacts undermine the quality of life and the natural amenities that are the foundation for retiree, local tourism and outdoor recreation economies.
The Air Force acknowledges that Alternative 1 - reconfiguration of Talon MOA, east of Alamogordo - meets its additional training needs with the fewest risks and impacts because it builds on existing airspace. We recognize the role of Holloman’s F-16 pilot training mission to national defense. Alternative 1 best meets those needs.
PROTECT THE GILA FROM F-16 TRAINING!Comment on the Draft EIS for the Holloman F-16 Training Airspace Proposal by January 31, 2020
Please provide a comment letter to the Air Force opposing Alternatives 2 & 3 in the Holloman DEIS through the petition form below. We’ll send it along to Holloman to make sure they get there and to other decision makers, including New Mexico legislators that can help us stop this proposal.
FACT SHEET
Peaceful Gila Skies is a coalition of business and community leaders, conservation groups, sportsmen, veterans and concerned citizens, united in our goal of protecting the Gila Region from military aircraft training.
To:
Air Force
From:
[Your Name]
Thank you for accepting my comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Holloman Air Force Base proposal to expand F-16 training airspace over southern New Mexico.
I oppose Alternatives 2 and 3 given the potential for significant impacts on our quality of life, health and local economies.
Specifically, extreme noise from training operations will disturb the peace and quiet of rural communities and national forests and wilderness areas affecting our retiree, tourism and outdoor recreation economies.
Extreme noise also startles horses, livestock and wildlife affecting ranching, hunting, and backcountry recreation.
Dropping of flares creates an increased level of wildfire risk to an area already vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire and that doesn’t have many resources for firefighting.
The use of chaff pollutes our environment and potentially affects public health.
Finally, the proposal puts us at increased risk from military aircraft crashes.
The future of Holloman Air Force Base is not at risk, since the current airspace is already adequate according to the DEIS. We as a nation should not sacrifice America’s first Wilderness Area, the Gila Wilderness, and other special places in southwestern New Mexico that are critical to state and local economies.
The Air Force acknowledges that Alternative 1 -- expansion and reconfiguration of Talon MOA, east of Alamogordo -- meets its training needs with the fewest risks and impacts. We recognize the role of Holloman’s F-16 pilot training mission to national defense. Alternative 1 best meets those needs.
Thank you for consideration of my comments.
