Proposed changes by the U.S. Air Force in 2004 to training airspace for Shaw AFB 20th Fighter Wing and McEntire Air National Guard pilots have been revised, according to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Airspace Training Initiative recently released.

Linda Devine, Langley Air Force Base, explained that under the revised plan, portions of Jenkins County will lie beneath existing Bulldog A and Bulldog B Military Operations Areas (MOA) and the newly proposed Bulldog C MOA.

Training flights will be allowed as follows: Bulldog A – currently allowed to fly down to 500 feet above ground level; Bulldog B – authorized to fly down to 10,000 feet above ground level; and Bulldog C – authorized to fly 500 feet above ground level with the exception of an exclusionary area of three nautical miles around the Jenkins County Airport.

Also, the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center would be authorized to temporarily raise the floor to permit civilian air traffic at the local airport. The proposed action also includes the exclusionary area to minimize impacts to the civil air traffic.

Training site transmitters would be placed along the coast, however, new transmitter sites are proposed beneath Bulldog A MOA. Chaff and flare use would be permitted at 5,000 feet and above. They are currently permitted in the Bulldog A and B MOA above 5,000 feet.

When the plans were first announced in 2004, concerns were expressed that the initiative would create unwanted noise, wake turbulence, harm historic structures on the ground and harm wildlife in the MOAs.

The Final Impact Environmental Impact Statement indicates that there could be noticeable noise increase due to the low-level flights. However, the noise levels are not expected to cause impact to human health. Wake turbulence from the military flights is also not expected. No detrimental effect to wildlife is expected. The proposed changes are not expected to harm historic cultural resources.

A final decision on the proposal will not be made until 30 days following publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. Any comments concerning the proposal may be made to: Linda Devine, HQ ACC/A7PS, 129 Andrews St., Room 337, Langley AFB, VA 23665-2769.

Copies of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Airspace Training Initiative are available for public review at the Jenkins County Library.