Madison Mayor Rhodes-Conway Response to Draft USAF/WIANG F-35 Jet EIS

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Mayor Satya’s Blog  |  Nov 1, 2019  |  Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mayor of the City of Madison, Wisconsin

Link to full document: Mayor’s Comments and Questions

Mr. Ramon Ortiz
NGB/A4AM
3501 Fetchet Avenue
Joint Base Andrews MD 20762-5157

 

Re: Comments Regarding F-35 Draft Environmental Impact Statement FR #2018-02468

Dear Mr. Ortiz,

“The official process of finding a location to “bed-down” F-35 fighter jets in the central section of the
United States began in 2016 when five locations were taken under consideration. According to Air
National Guard testimony at the Madison Common Council public hearing recently, these locations
were identified based on characteristics of their facilities including length of runway, types of
buildings, personnel available, etc. In December 2017, Madison’s Truax Field was chosen as a
preferred location for F-35 fighter jets. At that time, the Madison community was invited to identify
concerns and provide comments during a “scoping” period; in April 2018 the Madison Common
Council provided comments1 which identified concerns, and urged the anticipated Environmental
Impact Statement to address the following issues:

 

  1. Neighborhood Characteristics: health & other data
  2. Noise Issues
  3. Cultural Issues: traditional, archaeological and architectural
  4. Water Issues: quantity, quality, stormwater, watersheds and floodplains
  5. Hazardous Materials: wastes, toxic substances and contaminated sites

…  please see full document 

excerpt from Page 14

“Once the true potential environmental impacts of an F-35 bed-down at Truax Field are known, it is
incumbent on the USAF/ANG to consider carefully its choice of preferred location. If there are options
that represent less harm to communities and the environment, as it appears in the draft EIS, those
options should be preferred. If preferred locations, such as Madison, are known to have significant
negative impacts as shown in the final EIS, the USAF must be prepared to prevent and/or fully mitigate
those impacts. Absent that, it will not be possible for me to support the selection of Madison for this
bed-down.

I look forward to your detailed response to these matters.”