Pilots can air concerns over military plans

MAT-SU — A potential change in the rules for military exercises has a number of Mat-Su Borough residents wondering what impacts the changes might have on outlying recreation destinations.

The military has proposed a number of changes to what it calls the Joint Alaska Pacific Range Complex. Right now, the military is working on an Environmental Impact Statement that seeks to identify and address concerns surrounding the changes. Part of that involves taking testimony from the public. A series of seven meetings concluded last week. The military is accepting written comments through Feb. 18. Once an EIS is completed, the military still won’t have adopted the changes — the EIS is only one step in the approval process. There will be more opportunities for input along the way.

But while communities farther north are mulling things like live-fire trainings, the Mat-Su Borough is essentially faced with a potential increase in military air traffic.

The boundaries for what the military calls its Fox 3 Military Operations Area would be extended over multiple hundreds of square miles of the Mat-Su Borough, including Lake Lucille and areas due east of Talkeetna.

But the military says those changes only apply to airspace and that it is not seeking to take any land or do anything, but run training flights and drills over the area.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there. There’s a lot of people talking about the land grab and dropping bombs in Lake Louise and dropping bombs in backyards,” said Air Force community relations specialist Joan Smart.

None of that is on the table, she said. Over the course of seven meetings, though, the Air Force has taken note of a number of important concerns.

One of the recommendation changes would allow the military to fly as low as 500 feet in the training area. Smart said private pilots have expressed concern about conflicts there between military and slower-flying private planes.

That concern is especially present in Talkeetna where, according to reporting from local radio station KTNA, air taxis and guides were heartened to hear that the extended area would only be used during major operations a few weeks each year, but still worried that they would be unable to do business during those times if they couldn’t fly higher than 500 feet.

Smart said the military is also considering concerns about possible effects on wildlife.

“There’s also the caribou migration the bird migration, the calving — things like that that we’re taking into consideration as well,” she said.

Another of the recommendations would extend the hours during which the military could do flight exercises to 11 p.m., or maybe even midnight, allowing them to train there after dark between March and October.

Tonight, the borough assembly will consider weighing in on the potential changes. Waren Keogh, who represents Sutton and Chickaloon, has sponsored a resolution urging the military to consider a list of eight impacts to the borough:

• Economic impacts on commercial operations dependant on natural resources in the training area.

• Noise and vibration affecting “the peaceful enjoyment of residential and back country areas.”

• Noise affecting Dall sheep, moose, caribou, birds and other wildlife, particularly on feeding, birthing and nesting.

• Noise potentially contributing to avalanches.

• Conflicts with civilian aviation, especially between fighter jets and much slower civilian planes.

• Conflicts and effects of building radio communication repeaters and towers.

• Effects of expanded night training.

• Consequences of flying unmanned drones in the area.

In an interview, Keogh unpacked a few of those. He said that while the new rules don’t really address unmanned drones, the Federal Aviation Administration sets the rules for drones, so a slight change in FAA regulations, coupled with these changes, could potentially open the door for their use.

The bit in his resolution about repeater towers is likewise not addressed in the military’s plans, but talking to private pilots it was his understanding that the military might need them to communicate with small planes in the area.

He said his biggest concern is with lowering the flight area to 500 feet above ground level and what that means for private pilots.

“With that comes some side effects that could be problematic,” he said. “The aviation community hasn’t really weighed in that I’m aware of, but I’m looking forward to what they’ll say.”

Keogh’s resolution also calls on the military to involve the borough communities of Trapper Creek, Willow, Houston, Wasilla, Palmer, Sutton, Chickaloon, Glacier View and Lake Louise in its planning.

Asked for his opinion on the changes, Keogh said he doesn’t really have one yet, and now isn’t really the time for the borough to express one either.

“When a draft EIS comes about here in four five six months down the road that’s probably the more important time to weigh in as a public citizen or local government body,” he said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.