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30 Jan 2021 Press Release

Holloman Air Force Base decision a victory for New Mexico wilderness, public lands

Joey Keefe

PRESS RELEASE Headquarters, U.S. Air Force has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental effects of optimizing the F-16 pilot training airspace for Holloman AFB (HAFB), New Mexico. The Final EIS addresses comments received during the Draft EIS comment period and identifies Alternative 1: the expansion of the Talon military […]

15 Feb 2018 Uncategorized

Contact Your Elected Officials

evan

Grant County Commission Catron County Commission   State Elected Officials Senator Gabriel Ramos Representative Rudy Martinez Representative Rebecca Dow  Representative Gail Armstrong Congressional Delegation Senator Tom Udall Senator Martin Heinrich Representative Xochitl Torres Small

15 Feb 2018 Resources

Current Military Airspace Over the Gila

evan

What are Military Operation Areas (MOAs)? MOAs are a type of “Special Use Airspace” (SUA) designated for military training and maneuvers. The designation provides for a “segregation of uses of airspace” to alert other aircraft that military activity may be occurring, although as with Military Training Routes below, MOAs are open to other aircraft when […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Regional Military Bases

evan

There are at least five military bases that utilize Military Operation Areas (MOAs) and/or Military Training Routes (MTRs) in the Gila region. Each of the bases has multiple units with military aircraft assigned there. Below is a general description of the activity and aircraft originating from each base. While Holloman is the base for which […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Community Opposition to Holloman Proposal

evan

Grant and Catron Counties were unaware of the Air Force’s proposal to expand its airspace over the Gila. Because the Air Force did not hold a public meeting in Silver City, the local communities that would be impacted by this proposal were left out of the formal NEPA scoping process. Once citizens found out about […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Impacts to Wildlife

evan

Frequent low-altitude flights can disrupt the feeding and breeding habits of wildlife and livestock. Many of the health impacts to humans, including stress, will be felt by animals, too. Some of the most significant impacts from noise on wildlife are caused by chronic exposure. The timing of proposed flight training over the course of a […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Contamination of Land, Air, and Water

evan

Military fighter training over the Gila Region will generate significant amounts of pollutant emissions and contaminant releases to the environment, potentially causing air quality, visibility, land and water quality problems. Military jets emit criteria air pollutants which are regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The Gila Region is currently in attainment of all National […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Wildfire Risk from Flares

evan

As part of defensive countermeasures system training, the F-16s may release 15,360 flares a year. There is an increased risk of wildfire from this practice. Three catastrophic wildfires have occurred over the past six years in the Gila National Forest and Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas, burning nearly 500,000 acres, including the Whitewater-Baldy Complex […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

What are Chaff and Flares?

evan

Chaff and flares are released by military aircraft to avoid detection by air defense systems and other aircraft. According to Holloman’s EIS information, up to 15,360 flares and 15,360 chaff bundles may be released in the MOA above 2,000 feet above ground level. Bundles of chaff contain up to five million aluminum-coated fibers that may […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Local Economic Impacts

evan

While we understand the economic significance of military base activity in some areas of New Mexico, the Air Force proposal for Holloman AFB would not bring economic gains to the Gila Region. On the contrary, this proposal could harm one of the area’s principal economic assets identified in Grant County’s current economic development plans: quality […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

Impacts of Noise

evan

Noise is a result of military fighter jet training. The F-16 can fly as fast as 1,550 miles per hour. At 1,000 feet above the ground, at 500 mph, the plane generates 114 decibels of sound pressure, roughly equivalent to someone shouting in your ear. Minimum cruising speed generates 89 decibels, above the level at […]

9 Feb 2018 Resources

About the Holloman Airspace Expansion Proposal

evan

The US Air Force released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for expansion of the Holloman Air Force Base F-16 training airspace. Although the Air Force states that its current airspace is adequate for the F-16 pilot training mission, Alternatives 2 and 3 would add 4.5 million acres of additional Special Use Airspace in southwest New […]

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