Dush seeks public meetings on Maryland Air National Guard flight proposal
HARRISBURG, PA – State Sen. Cris Dush (R-25) has joined the call for public meetings on the proposal from the Maryland Air National Guard to expand its low-fly military operations over a large swath of north-central Pennsylvania.
Dush, whose district includes much of the impacted area, including Clinton County, made the comments in part of his weekly online update posted on Thursday to the constituents of his far-flung district:
The Maryland Air National Guard (MD ANG) is taking public comment until Dec. 31 on its proposed 2,178-square-mile, low-fly military operations area (MOA) for the PA Wilds. The area will cover almost all of Potter County and parts of Clinton, Tioga, McKean, Elk and Cameron counties.
According to the MD ANG, the proposal would allow A-10 Thunderbolt II flights between 100 feet above tree-top level to 7,999 feet, two hours a day with no more than six total aircraft, 170 days a year including weekends. Nighttime operations would be at above 1,000 feet.
Flights would normally be between 10 a.m. and noon, and between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The majority of the flight time would be at higher altitudes, with 10 minutes or less below 1,000 feet, MD ANG information states.
MD ANG has not yet held any informational meetings with the public, and a full environmental impact statement has yet to be done. While I support our military, it’s important to know how the MD ANG proposal will change the natural heritage, tourism, economy and beauty of the PA Wilds and Dark Sky regions.
The MD ANG has said it will review all comments before making a decision on whether there is sufficient interest in having a public meeting and whether such a meeting would be beneficial or necessary.
We need to let the MD ANG know they should hold public meetings in the affected counties to share their proposal, provide details of its impacts and address questions from the public.
The PA Wilds Center has sent a letter to the MD ANG requesting public meetings, and the MD ANG has produced a draft environmental assessment on which it is accepting public comment that can be emailed to ngb.a4.a4a.nepa.comments.org@us.af.mil. Requests for public meetings can also be emailed to Major Jeff Andrieu of the Maryland Air National Guard at jeffrey.andrieu.4@us.af.mil.
