Tell the FAA to Protect Rural and Tribal Communities and Wilderness Areas from Dangerous Air Force Training
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requesting public comments regarding the U.S. Air Force (USAF) proposal to expand low elevation combat training across southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico. They are particularly interested in impacts to aviation, including airports and general (private) aviation, and public safety. The FAA will have a role in the final decision on the airspace expansion proposal.
Tell the FAA to disapprove the Air Force proposal to expand military combat training over rural communities and tribal and public lands in southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico.
The USAF is proposing to modify ten existing Military Operations Areas (MOAs) that stretch across southern Arizona into southwest New Mexico including the Gila Wilderness as part of their Special Use Airspace Optimization Strategy. The Air Force plan would authorize thousands of additional low-elevation fighter jet maneuvers, lower the floor for supersonic flights that cause sonic booms to as low as 5000 feet, allow subsonic flights to as low as 100 feet, and authorize dropping of flammable flares at low elevation. The proposed military training exercises will impact dozens of rural communities, affect 30 tribes and pueblos, and subject millions of acres of federal public lands to increased noise, pollution, and risk of fire.
Given the significant risk to rural and tribal communities, civil aviation, and noise-sensitive areas in southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico, the FAA should reject the Air Force's proposal and recommend that the USAF restrict its lower elevation and supersonic flights, and other combat training, such as dropping chaff and flares, to the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) where it’s already happening.
- The Air Force proposal will significantly impact civil aviation within the proposed expanded airspace, with increased risk to pilot and public safety and negative effects to general aviation operations and local economies surrounding smaller public and private airports and pilot training facilities.
- The environmental impacts of the proposal have not been adequately assessed in the Air Force Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and therefore the FAA should reject the DEIS.
- The FAA must comply with its mandates under the Federal Transportation Act and comprehensively assess the noise impacts of the Air Force proposal on public lands, wildlife and historic sites, as well as evaluate prudent and reasonable alternatives, such as the BMGR, to avoid noise-sensitive areas.
The deadline to submit comments to the Air Force is September 19th.
Sign the petition today and add your personalized comments. Your input will be delivered to the FAA by the deadline.
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To:
Federal Aviation Administration
From:
[Your Name]
I oppose the Air Force's proposal to expand military combat training over southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico.
This proposed action will severely harm rural and tribal communities, public lands, wildlife and the environment, as well as civil aviation, pilot and public safety, local economies, and noise-sensitive areas.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement produced by the Air Force fails to comprehensively assess the impacts of the proposal and should be rejected by the FAA.
To fulfill its responsibility under the Federal Transportation Act, the FAA must comprehensively assess the noise impacts of the Air Force proposal on public lands, wildlife and historic sites, as well as evaluate prudent and reasonable alternatives to avoid noise-sensitive areas, such as expanding military training within the Barry M. Goldwater Range where it's already happening.
The FAA must not allow the Air Force to shift the burden of risk to rural and tribal communities, civil aviation, and noise-sensitive areas in southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico.
The FAA should recommend that expanded military training takes place in restricted airspace of the Barry M. Goldwater Range.
Thank you for consideration of my comments.