October 23, 2006

MORE ON CANNON EIS

In 2004 the NMPA and USPA attended some scoping meeting regarding the USAF NM Training Initiative Environmental Impact Study where the USAF proposed to increase the air space usage. Both NMPA and USPA argued for increased radio and radar coverage. Since I was not president of NMPA at that time I am not that familiar with the details. Carter DuBois was NMPA president, but the current USPA president Steve Uslan was then USPA president. For the results of that impact study go to www.cannon.af.mil.

Go to the right side, near the top and find NMTRI Environmental Impact Study 2006, and you can get the 800 page report. Ron Keller brought this to my attention.

The comments of NMPA and USPA are a part of the study. You don't need to read all 800 pages to get the gist of the results of the EIS. Check out the Executive Summary and some of the page thereafter. Go to the section which has the listing of all the comments and note the number asigned to NMPA and USPA's comments. Then track down in the list of commenters and the EIS responses.

Two things that are interesting about this study. When it began, it was to get air space for high speed jets to practice combat training needed in the middle east (mostly F 16s). But since BRAC is having the F 16 unit at Cannon leaving in FY 2008, the EIS states that there is a new mission at Cannon, the SO Wing moving in. Several other links, etc. on this Cannon website also address the movement to Cannon of the SO Wing.

Bob Worthington, President

New Mexico Pilots Association

and Vice President, USPA

Posted by Jan at October 23, 2006 09:44 AM