NOT - Noise and Overflight Working Group

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1. PURPOSE and BACKGROUND:

Provide a forum to facilitate the coordination of airspace issues involving military and land management agency aircraft over public lands. In recent years, aircraft operated by DoD and land management agencies have generated a heightened awareness of overflight issues involving publicly managed lands in Southern California. This is due in part to increased public interest on the subject, increased use of the region for various activities, and improved efforts on the part of public agencies to collaborate on issues of mutual interest.

Over the years, the southern California mountain/desert regions have been recognized as containing significant natural and cultural resources and opportunities for the general public to enjoy these resources. This has resulted in the establishment, as early as 1936, of "protected lands," such as national and state parks, recreation areas and preserves, and wilderness areas managed by various federal and state agencies. Land management agencies are mandated, via laws and regulations, with preserving these resources and providing for their enjoyment.

At the same time the region has been used by the United States military since the 1930's for a host of test and training activities involving aircraft and associated aerospace vehicles. The commanders from the various military services making use of the airspace in the region are charged by law and regulation to conduct operations in support of the national defense of this country. The recent California Desert Protection Act passed by Congress in 1994 is an example of a law requiring the integration of diverse missions in that it requires the protection of resources while ensuring the ability of the military to conduct operations.

Federal and state agencies, working together, have used interagency forums to network aspects of the diverse missions all are charged with. The Desert Managers Group (DMG) and the R-2508 DoD/Land Management Agencies Coordination Committee (DoD/LMACC) are two examples of successful initiatives implemented to address issues of mutual concern. In the case of the DMG, efforts have focused on enhancing regional ecosystem management, and in the case of the R-2508 LMACC the efforts have demonstrated success in working airspace/land issues within the airspace complex.

With all of this in mind, the DMG has chartered the Overflight Working Group for Public Lands in the Mountain/Desert Region of Southern California to act as the mechanism for future collaboration on overflight issues.

2. SCOPE:

The Overflight Working Group for Public Lands in the Mountain/Desert Region of Southern California currently considers applicable issues within the regions of the southern Sierra mountains, and the desert as defined by the California Desert Innovative Management Laboratory. The group is not policy making in nature, but rather a forum to network and offer potential solutions to issues of concern. The core members of the group are those agencies with land and airspace management responsibilities (specific areas and/or routes) within the defined region. The defined region may be expanded at the request of public agencies operating outside the defined boundaries, subject to the approval of the group. In addition, participation is available and recommended to all public agencies using the defined airspace or with associated land management concerns.

3. OBJECTIVES:

• Educate agency personnel, decision-makers, and the general public regarding overflight/land issues
• Develop effective relationships among all participating agencies
• Identify existing coordination processes, use them where available (e.g. R-2508 DoD/LMACC), identify gaps where no process exists, and recommend efficient solutions to fill those gaps
• Coordinate and de-conflict issues (to the extent possible) among all affected participants
• Support problem solving through education and process identification
• Interact with existing and future local, regional, and national efforts/committees (e.g. Interagency Military Land Use Coordination Committee-IMLUCC)
• Facilitate noise issues related to aircraft overflights for all participating agencies
• Facilitate applicable safety and operational issues for all participating agencies

4. MEMBERSHIP:

• Air Force: Edwards AFB, March ARB, California ANG Fresno and Point Mugu (Channel Islands), Nellis AFB
• Navy: NAWCWD China Lake, NAS Lemoore, NAS El Centro, NAS Point Mugu
• Army: Fort Irwin NTC
• Marines: MCAGCC 29 Palms, MCAS Miramar, MCAS Yuma

• National Park Service: Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave Preserve, Lake Mead NRA
• Bureau of Land Management: California Desert District (Riverside), Bakersfield District, Yuma Field Office
• United States Fish & Wildlife: Ventura Field Office, Lower Colorado Refuges Office United States
• Department of Agriculture: National Forests: Sequoia NF, Inyo NF, San Bernardino NF, Angeles NF, Cleveland NF
• State of California: Anza-Borrego State Park, Mojave Sector State Parks, California Department of Forestry
• Technical Representatives: Federal Aviation Administration AWP-520, Air Force REP AWP-910, Navy REP, Army DARR

5. ADMINISTRATION:

Co-chairs, one each from DoD and Land Management Agency, shall be rotated on an annual basis and shall conduct meetings. Secretariat duties shall be rotated between the DoD and DoI Desert Coordinator Offices. The duties include setting up meetings, preparing meeting agendas and minutes, and coordinating other logistical requirements. Meeting locations shall rotate throughout the Southern California mountain/desert region with due consideration given to limited resources and ease of participation by all organizations. Resources to support this working group shall be borne individually by each participating agency/installation. Each agency shall participate in this working group based on agency mission, policies, and resources. Any agreements made pursuant to this document are contingent upon authorization and appropriation of funds in accordance with the appropriate statutes.

6. SPONSORS:

• California Desert Managers Group
• Others as needed