COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 14th Flying Training Wing will host an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)public hearing at Lion Hills Gold Center, 2331 Military Road, Columbus Mississippi, on October 25, 2023. The briefing and public hearing will begin at 5 p.m. and will conclude at 8 p.m.
A virtual hearing will be held on October 30 beginning at 5 p.m. and will conclude at 8 p.m. CDT. Participants must register online at the following website: https://meethdr.webex.com/weblink/register/r6596ca63d1648eeca409f13169b98039.
The purpose of the public hearing is to provide surrounding residents an opportunity to learn about the impact of gaining the T-7A Red Hawk aircraft to the Columbus Air Force Base fleet.
An EIS is a detailed public document that describes potential environmental impacts associated with a Proposed Action and alternatives to the Proposed Action. The EIS process falls under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) which was enacted to address concerns about federal actions and potential effects on the environment. Environmental topics analyzed in the EIS include air resources, noise, natural resources, cultural resources, and social resources.
The public hearing is a step in the EIS process that allows members of the public to ask questions and make comments on the proposed action, as well as alternatives outlined in the draft EIS. The Air Force will incorporate applicable comments from the public hearing into the final EIS. A record of decision may be signed no sooner than 30 days after the final EIS is released for final public review.
By 2031, more than 60 percent of the Combat Air Force fleet will be comprised of 5th generation aircraft, requiring a modern and capable training platform with capabilities beyond those currently available in the T-38C. The T-7A will provide Air Force pilots with advanced training capabilities, including high-G environment, info/sensor management, high Angle of Attack (AoA) flight characteristics, night operations, and transferrable air-to-air and air-to-ground skills.
All undergraduate pilot training bases will transition from the T-38C to the T-7A. Those bases include Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Sheppard AFB, Texas and Vance AFB, Oklahoma.