In its latest attempt to grab more of the woods and waters of the northern Lower Peninsula, the Michigan National Guard has proposed changes to its allowed airspace that would open up hundreds of square miles of forest land to training fighter jets as low as 500 feet above the ground. Until now, Guard flights that low have been limited to areas above Lake Huron plus the area directly around the Guard Air Gunnery Range northeast of Grayling.
New areas for low-flying jets under the proposal include a large area to the east and south of the Gunnery Range east of I-75, plus a significant part of the northern Thumb region and land between Au Gres and Tawas along the northern part of Saginaw Bay.
The proposal would allow for low flights by some of the newest, and loudest, Air Force jets, including the F-35, which has generated numerous noise complaints in other locations. The Sierra Club is concerned about the Guard’s Environmental Assessment (EA), and the likely impact on both land and aquatic wildlife and ecosystems of the noise and vibrations created by low flights. Studies have shown that introducing loud human noise can disrupt mating and other animal communication, distract animals from foraging for food and mating and lead to inappropriate and damaging threat management responses.
The Sierra Club will be taking a more comprehensive look at the EA and will be putting together comments based on our concerns before the January 14th public comment deadline.
If you wish to make a comment yourself, comments on the proposal will be accepted by the National Guard until January 14. A final decision will be made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). To provide comment to this additional impact to our north woods (in addition to the huge Camp Grayling expansion plan for state forest usage), send a message to National Guard Bureau, Attn: Ms. Kristi Kucharek, 3501 Fetchet Avenue, Joint Base Andrews, MD 20762-5157 or email comments to NGB.A4.A4A.NEPA.COMMENTS.Org@us.af.mil with subject ATTN: ALPENA SUA EA.
Others to contact to make your voice heard include:
- Dan Eichinger-- eichingerd@michigan.gov
- Gov. Whitmer --Gretchen.Whitmer@michigan.gov
- Gary Peters-- www.peters.senate.gov/contact/email-gary
- Also, your Michigan legislators.