A proposed expansion of military combat training airspace by the Michigan Air National Guard has some Thumb-area residents concerned. Bill Collins, Executive Director of the Thumb Land Conservancy, reminds Thumb residents that Wednesday, December 14th is the last day that people can file public comment regarding the proposed airspace expansion. Collins says the proposal is expected to be approved and implemented by late summer of 2023, and will expand and intensify military training airspace to an additional 1,633 nautical square miles–covering Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac Counties, extending as far south as the Port Sanilac area. Collins adds that a portion of the proposed training area in the Thumb would allow military aircraft to train as low as 500 feet above the ground.
Port Hope resident Cliff Stuehmer, a retired Mechanical Engineering Supervisor with Ford, says the proposed changes would have a negative impact on the area, affecting everything from tourism and recreation to nature and the environment. He says the fly-bys will produce increased and extended levels of noise equaling over 115 dBA, or eight times louder than most county and township noise ordinances. According to an Environmental Assessment Statement concerning the expanded airspace, this is also the level at which the Secretary of the Air Force requires hearing protection for all Air Force personnel. An F-16 passing overhead at 500-feet makes it impossible to hear someone standing three feet away from you for about 20 seconds–and this extends to a 2.5 mile radius.
Additionally, Stuehmer says the expanded training area will have a detrimental impact on the environment. He adds that particulate emissions from jet fuel and decoy flares will result in the discharge of toxins like magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride and magnesium floride over Lake Huron and Thumb-area farms. And furthermore, the Environmental Assessment Statement found that increased flight training would result in a four-percent drop in property values in the affected area.
Again, the Thumb Land Conservancy is reminding residents that public comment is due by this Wednesday, December 14th.
You can e-mail your public comment regarding the issue to: ngb.a4.a4a.nepa.comments.org@us.af.mil
A draft of the proposal can be found by clicking here.
