Making sure the Air Force hears New Mexicans’ voices

Dear Friend,

Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve been proud to champion New Mexico’s military installations, while also ensuring that those installations listen to the needs and concerns of our communities. That includes considering and effectively communicating the impact of proposed changes on affected communities.

The U.S. Air Force has initiated a process to reevaluate the airspace needed to support the training missions at its installations in Arizona. It’s considering several airspace changes, potentially impacting airspace over the Gila National Forest, as well as the Coronado National Forest, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in southwestern New Mexico’s Bootheel Region. 

In a recent letter to top U.S. Air Force leadership, I raised concerns over several proposed changes and urged the Air Force to extend the public comment deadline to ensure they can adequately receive community feedback from all those who could be impacted in southwestern New Mexico. I also encouraged local residents to attend public meetings hosted by the Air Force last month to make their voices heard.

Now that the Air Force has officially extended its public comment period an extra 30 days, I encourage you to visit the Air Force’s updated website on its proposed changes and submit a public comment here before the new deadline of November 12, 2024.

A few years ago, when Holloman Air Force Base proposed changes to its airspace agreements for military aircraft training locations, I stood with the local stakeholders to address community concerns. In that case, the U.S. Air Force listened to the community and decided to not increase training activity over some of our nation’s most treasured public spaces like the Gila National Forest.

This time, New Mexicans have raised similar concerns over low-level flights and flares in wilderness areas that could be disruptive to their way of life, threaten public safety, and damage the local economy. I will continue to hold the Air Force leadership accountable, ensure that transparency remains a key priority, and make sure that the voices of New Mexicans are heard.

Sincerely,