Air Force Overflight Expansion a Concern for the Owyhee Canyonlands
The Mountain Home Air Force Base is proposing changes to military overflight operations in the Owyhee canyonlands of Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada. The impacts of these changes on the people, wildlife, and character of this remarkable region were analyzed in a plan known as a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The DEIS is up for public comment right now, and the window to speak up on behalf of the wild, unique Owyhee canyon country and its rivers has been extended until September 22nd.
The Owyhee Canyonlands are Special
The impressive rhyolite/basalt canyons of the Bruneau-Jarbidge and Owyhee river systems cut through intact sagebrush steppe landscapes in this remote region that covers the corners of Idaho and Oregon as well as northern Nevada. The presence of Wild and Scenic designated rivers and Wilderness areas allude to the remarkable nature of this place and the public’s desire to see its wild, undeveloped character preserved.
An extensive suite of species, both common and listed as sensitive by the Bureau of Land Management, call the canyonlands home. The intact sagebrush community is an important stronghold for the Greater sage grouse and supports herds of elk and deer. River canyons offer essential habitats for wildlife such as river otters, California bighorn sheep, and many bird species. The Wild and Scenic designated Jarbidge River supports the southernmost population of endangered bull trout.
The Owyhee canyonlands are full of life, yet sparse on humans. The few who visit experience unparalleled solitude, and take in vast, panoramic landscapes, river canyons, and starry night skies with no signs of modern human development. The Owyhees do support small communities or homesteads that engage primarily in ranching and grazing. The landscape and riverways have been utilized for thousands of years by indigenous Shoshone and Paiute people.
What the Air Force’s Proposal Means for the Owyhees
The Airforce’s proposal is incompatible with the wilderness characteristics of the region and its rivers. The Mountain Home base operates and trains in a Special Use Area that encompasses virtually all of the Owyhee Canyonlands. The plan proposes training flights as low as 100 feet above ground level (AGL) across the region, which is already allowed in Idaho. It would also establish a lower “floor” for supersonic travel at as low as 5,000 feet AGL in all units in the airspace. The result would be noise from aircraft roaring just overhead and more sonic booms in a landscape managed for its quiet, undeveloped character and unique wildlife. The most pronounced effects would be felt in Oregon and Nevada, where military aircraft’s operational “floor” is currently much higher.
Concerns Surrounding the Proposal
Increased noise and disruption from very low aircraft overflights and supersonic travel impinge on the Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) of Wild and Scenic Rivers.
ORVs are unique aspects of a river that merit its designation as Wild and Scenic. Both designated and candidate rivers in the Owyhee canyonlands possess a range of recreational, geologic, scenic, fish, wildlife, and cultural/historical ORVs that together make the place so unique. The Bureau of Land Management is tasked with maintaining the character of these values for rivers already in the W&S system and rivers that are candidates for later designation.
The effects of aircraft noise on sensitive wildlife species were not adequately analyzed in the DEIS. Conclusions drawn from analysis that did occur are not founded on sufficient scientific research.
The effects of noise from overflights on many wildlife species are poorly understood. Species managed as “sensitive” by the BLM, such as Greater sage grouse and California bighorn sheep, are impacted significantly by noise. The DEIS did not analyze impacts of noise disturbance to aquatic species.
The DEIS should have analyzed an alternative that raises the minimum altitude for overflights due to concerns already present with current operations.
The effects on sensitive wildlife species of overflight operations in Idaho, already allowed at 100 feet above ground level, are poorly understood. Current operations in airspace above Wilderness areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers in Idaho negatively impact wildlife and opportunities for solitude in an undeveloped, natural environment. While several alternative plans were analyzed, no alternative included raising minimum altitudes for military aircraft.
To advocate for the preservation of this special landscape and its rivers that support rural and tribal communities, critical wildlife populations, and offer unparalleled recreational opportunities, provide a public comment using this link.
Or write in to:
Mountain Home AFB Airspace Optimization EIS
c/o Leidos
2109 Air Park Road SE, Suite 200
Albuquerque, NM 87106
The deadline for comments is September 22nd, 2021.