Mayor disappointed with U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard
The Badger Herald, LAUREN HENNING · Sep 18, 2019
“The public deserves better information,” Rhodes-Conway said
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway expressed concerns over the information within the Environmental Impact Statement regarding the F-35 jets at Truax Field in a statement released Tuesday.
The statement comes after substantial discussion of possible impacts of the F-35 jets on the area. The concerns include noise levels and possible environmental damage.
“I am very disappointed in the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard’s failure to provide adequate information about this project and its potential impacts on our community, and their failure to address misconceptions on the record,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Conway cited several areas of confusion found in the EIS. While the EIS drafts stated there would be a flight increase of 27%, which suggests an increase in noise, other components in the EIS suggested otherwise.
Rhodes-Conway noted the sound study, which stated that the new planes would decrease afterburner takeoffs by 55%, which suggests a decrease in noise. Meanwhile, the Day Night Average Sound Level metric again suggested an increase in noise levels, while the Sound Exposure Level chart demonstrated almost no change with locations that most involve the community.
“Based on what we know — and don’t know — today, it’s very difficult to evaluate the true impact of this project on the Madison region,” Rhodes-Conway said. “Given this uncertainty, I am demanding better answers from the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard.”