The United States Air Force wants to open more of the Owyhee region 鈥� a vast, rugged landscape where Oregon, Idaho and Nevada meet 鈥� to low-altitude flight training.
The military branch has proposed changing airspace rules to allow flights near the speed of sound as low as 100 feet off the ground. The plan would also permit supersonic flights down to 5,000 feet above ground level.
It鈥檚 just the latest attempt by the Air Force to expand its operation in the Owyhee. The branch has for decades eyed the sparsely populated region for training bombers and fighter pilots in mountainous terrain.
like the Owyhee for training grounds because, in theory, they鈥檙e less likely to encounter disturbances. Critics of the proposed expansion say that isolation is precisely why the Owyhee deserves protection.
Friends of the Owyhee is a conservation and stewardship group working toward continued protection of the region.
鈥淭he Owyhee is such a special area,鈥� said Tim Davis, founder and executive director of Friends of the Owyhee. 鈥淸Planes] flying this low 鈥� that鈥檚 going to impact the solitude of the Owyhee right off the bat.鈥�
The Owyhee is one of Oregon鈥檚 . Rivers and creeks carve through a spectacular geologic layer cake formed by millions of years of volcanic eruptions. Few roads run through this territory, which makes it difficult to access.
The is located to the north. It uses airspace divided into six sections called 鈥渕ilitary operations areas鈥� to train pilots on a variety of combat maneuvers and tactics. The airspace covers the tri-state area as well as the Fort McDermitt and Duck Valley Indian reservations.
In 1989, an Air Force proposal to build an enormous bombing range . The branch sought nearly 1.5 million acres on which to train with live munitions and to allow low-altitude flights, as in the current proposal.
The plan met a buzzsaw of opposition from ranchers, recreationists, environmental groups, Native American tribes and more concerned over impacts to communities, livestock, wildlife and recreation.
鈥淲e cattlemen support a strong national defense,鈥� Bert Brackett, then president of the Idaho Cattle Association and later a state senator, . 鈥淚f there鈥檚 definitely a national security need, then we鈥檒l sacrifice and do our part. But at this point, we鈥檙e not convinced.鈥�
The dispute was settled in 1999, and now low-altitude training is only allowed in two sections of Idaho鈥檚 southwest corner, known as Owyhee North and Jarbidge North.
In a published in July, the Air Force said the current arrangement 鈥渄oes not allow pilots to train as they would fight.鈥�
It鈥檚 proposed opening up the remaining four sections of the airspace in Oregon and Nevada for low-altitude training.
The impact statement says expanding the range for low-altitude flights would increase noise, sonic booms and emissions. The Air Force acknowledges the changes would have a 鈥渕oderate to high鈥� impact on recreation in the Owyhee and create 鈥減otential for disproportionately high and adverse impacts to minority and low-income populations鈥� in north-central Nevada and the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation.
The impact statement also claims that wildlife with limited previous exposure to sonic booms and other noise will .
The Air Force declined an interview for this story, but said in an emailed statement that adjustments to the airspace would provide 鈥渁 more realistic and consistent training environment without artificial constraints.鈥�
鈥淭his is essential to maintain superiority over potential adversaries and to ensure the survivability and effectiveness of aircrews,鈥� the statement reads.
Since 1989, the Owyhee has been proposed as a national park or multiple times. While , thousands of acres have been designated as wilderness or wilderness study areas and several stretches of river as wild and scenic.
In 2019, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to establish more than 1.1 million acres of wilderness in the Owyhee. The bill failed to make it out of committee but . Several stakeholder groups, including Friends of the Owyhee, helped craft the legislation.
鈥淓fforts for protection have been going for a long time in this area,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淲ith the Air Force wanting to just use this because, 鈥極h nobody鈥檚 there,鈥� well, that鈥檚 what makes it special and warrants some of the protection.鈥�
The Air Force is accepting comments on the draft environmental impact statement and by mail until Sept. 22. The branch held two public hearings in Idaho, one on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and one virtual.
The Air Force has not held hearings in Oregon or Nevada, where it plans to introduce low-altitude training. No additional public hearings are scheduled.
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