Hearing To Be Held Saturday On Low Level Flights

FARMINGTON (NEWS CENTER) -- A controversial plan to expand low-level National Guard training flights over western Maine will be the subject of a public hearing Saturday.

The Massachusetts Air National Guard says it needs additional airspace for F-15 fighters to conduct low-level training for homeland defense over the 4,000-square-mile Condor Military Operation Area. F-16s from the Vermont National Guard also would use the expanded space.

The hearing takes place at the University of Maine Farmington from 2-6 p.m.

Gov. John Baldacci opposes the plan. In August, he asked  the National Guard to postpone the hearing for six to nine months and to further study the noise, safety and environmental impacts of the flights.

Military officials declined further study and postponed the hearing only two months.

In a letter to Guard officials, Baldacci says, "While I am grateful that the Air National Guard postponed the hearing for approximately 60 days, I am deeply disappointed that no further consideration was given to the questions outlined in my letter." He adds, "I continue to assert that the questions raised in my prior correspondence strongly suggest that more work needs to be done to assure me and the people of Western Maine that no significant impacts will result from the proposed changes to the Condor MOA. As such, I wish to register my opposition to this proposal. I do not believe that serious consideration has been given to the impacts on the people of Maine.