Military helicopters - Liberty Bell Roadless Area

Think of all the public money spent, time, planning, and coordinating done over the last 75 years to preserve, designate levels of management, and actual management of these Wilderness and Recreation Areas, and supporting USFS and NPS lands.

And now the Army wants to do a land grab?

This needs some Congressional study...

It addresses the reason for not using the training sites in Colorado & Texas here:
'4.4.1 Established High-Altitude Training Sites
High-altitude training operations could be conducted at three existing locations: 1) the Army
National Guard training site in Gypsum, Colorado, 2) Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado,
or 3) Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. All three sites require extended travel times and scheduling
training slots with limited availability. Any out of state training site requires additional time
away from the home station, which is referred to by the military as “perstempo.” High
perstempo can have adverse effects on soldiers and their families. '

It also states that the chosen locations will respect local concerns and fly above 2000' to lower noise impact.

6 of the 7 proposed landing zones are away from most touring areas.

I am so glad that we are sacrificing out wild areas so the Army can provide less stress for the soldiers and their families...

The efforts made to secure these places for habitat, recreation, and as shelters from mechanical activity have cost time, money, and huge political capital.  Pleading that the shrinking military needs to tap into these natural reserves for training is bullshit.  Suggesting that family stress is a factor doubles the pungent odor of that bullshit.

The North Cascade Park and the Paysaten Wilderness are already is subject to the whims of the Border Patrol.  Do want another adjustment of the management standards for lands like this?

If you haven't commented about what you think the Army must consider during the proposed EA process please do so ASAP.

Is this what the Eastern North Cascades has to look forward to in years to come? Many more bases, including overseas bases, using the eastern North Cascades as a training ground?    Click here

Direct comments to:

Put “JBLA Off-base Helicopter Training” in the subject line and email your comments by July 30 to:
usarmy.jblm.imcom.list.dpw-eis@mail.mil
Also send a copy to the Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Supervisor Mike Williams: mrwilliams01@fs.fed.us

Thanks for the template freeski, good stuff. E-mail sent!