Guard extends time for comment on flights

PORTLAND – The National Guard has agreed to extend the public comment period on its proposal to lower the flight ceiling for military training missions over western Maine, Sen. Susan Collins said.

Some residents were angry because they were late to learn of the plan. The Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce learned of the draft proposal only a week ago, and the deadline for public comments was originally April 13.

“I was just in western Maine [on Tuesday] and heard concerns from those who would be directly affected by low-level training flights over that part of our state. It is important that those voices be heard in this debate,” Collins said.

The National Guard has now agreed to extend the public comment period for an environmental assessment until May 13, Collins said. A separate public comment period for the impact on civilian aircraft ends on May 3, she said.

The proposal would allow the fighter planes to fly at a ground-hugging altitude of 500 feet in a portion of the Condor Military Operations Area. Currently, the jets are not allowed to fly lower than 7,000 feet on training flights in Maine.

In 1992, the National Guard made a similar request to lower the deck for its training flights to 300 feet. The proposal was rejected in Maine.