On May 1, a 30-day public review and comment period began for the Cheyenne military operations area modification draft
environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact.
This
airspace proposal will raise the flight floor in the existing Cheyenne military
operations area from 300 to 500 feet above ground level, decreasing noise
impacts on the ground in areas that underlie the current training
airspace.
Through
consultation with Native American tribes, the Colorado Air National Guard has
agreed to maintain a 5-nautical mile radius buffer around the center of the Sand
Creek Massacre National Historical Site, Colo., with a flight floor of 5,000
feet above ground level.
The
training airspace is also expanding into Kansas, decreasing density of military
aircraft in the military operations area.
Colorado Air National Guard F-16 pilots from
the 140th Wing based at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., require a larger
local airspace where they can realistically train for homeland defense and
overseas missions and threats before they’re put in harm’s way.
If any
questions arise about this proposal, please do not hesitate to contact my office
at 720-250-1053 and ask to speak to Capt Darin Overstreet.
Here is a
link to our website where the public can download all of the pertinent documents
including a map of the proposed modification:
http://co.ng.mil/public/Environmental%20Assessments/Forms/AllItems.aspx <http://co.ng.mil/public/Environmental%20Assessments/Forms/AllItems.aspx>
