On May 26, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) sent a letter to the Maryland Air National Guard and the Air National Guard Readiness Center to request a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the Air Force and National Guard Bureau’s proposal to lower the altitude floor at which pilots can fly in the Duke Military Operating Area (MOA) to as low as 100 feet Above Ground Level (AGL).

Duke Military Operating Area is located in a portion of the PA Wilds-- Cameron, Clinton, Elk, McKean, Potter and Tioga counties.

The letter follows concerns from North Central Pennsylvania organizations and residents about the possible effects of this proposed change on quality of life and on the environment in the Commonwealth’s largest collection of public lands.

“Low, loud, and frequent flights could disrupt livelihoods in a region that has built its identity on outdoor recreation and bucolic tranquility,” the Senators wrote. “The proposed changes to the use of the airspace over the PA Wilds region may threaten the rich natural resources of the area, damage quality of life in the Wilds, and threaten the vitality of the growing outdoor and tourism economy.”

The Senators said without a full EIS, it is impossible to accurately determine the cumulative effects of lowering the altitude floor may pose to the lives and livelihoods of North Central Pennsylvania residents.

Many state officials, local leaders, conservation groups, and community members share the Senators’ concerns about the Duke Low MOA, highlighting its potential negative impacts on local economies, public health and safety, wildlife, and outdoor recreation.  [PaEN]

Click Here for a copy of the letter.

Related Article:

-- PA Wilds Center Seeks Full Environmental Impact Statement For Proposed Very Low-Level [100 Feet] Maryland Air National Guard Training Flights; Take Action Now   [PaEN]

[Posted: May 30, 2023]

6/5/2023