LongBeachReport.com | LBReport.com | Black Hawk Helicopter Fleet Relocating To Los Alamitos Could Impact LB’s El Dorado Park Estates Neighborhood

(April 8, 2011) -- Residents of ELB's El Dorado Park estates area and students at Newcomb Academy K-8 school would experience an average of 15 flights per week of Black Hawk helicopters under plans by the U.S. Army Reserve to shift a company of the eight of the aircraft from Victorville to the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB).

Details of the stationing are included in a 144-page "Environmental Assessment" (the federal version of an Environmental Impact Report) -- open to public comment until April 19 -- found by this writer at the website repository for public access to the U.S. Army/Army Reserve NEPA documents.

The March 2011 federal document -- which can be viewed in full (as of April 8) by clicking here, explains the rationale for choosing Los Alamitos, indicates there'll be an "average" of 15 flights per week, lists an April 19th deadline for public comment and states: "The stationing of the Company at JFTB Los Alamitos would have minor adverse impacts to regional air quality, transportation, and the noise environment."

The document's North Arrival/Departure maps indicate an official route description -- with aircraft at 1,500 feet -- as "remaining east of 605 freeway" and "along the 605 freeway" between Katella and the 91 freeway. This would seem to place the helicopters directly above El Dorado Park Estates and LBUSD’s Newcomb Academy.

Northern arrival/depature with lakes at El Dorado regional parks visible. mage source: CA National Guard website

The Army Reserve's document, prepared under the Nat'l Enviromental Policy Act or "NEPA," includes a three-page "Draft Finding of No Significant Impact" (click here) and the route description includes the verbiage "Do not overfly any residential areas," but given the officially proposed map and route descriptions, avoiding residential areas would arguably appear to be an impossible task.

Source: Environmental Assessment: Stationing a U.S. Army Reserve Black Hawk Helicopter Company at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, CA

As part of the federal NEPA process, the Army sent letters (dated Nov. 30, 2010) to various government agencies including surrounding cities, requesting a written response within 30 days with comments related to specific areas of concern.

Long Beach City Hall responded (along with Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster, Cypress) and the most detailed and comprehensive response came from City of LB Planning Officer, Jill Griffiths.

Ms. Griffith's letter included a request that the EA include maps of the flight patterns, hours of operation, air quality documentation specifying impacts on surrounding neighborhoods and a specific stipulation that flight patterns avoid the El Dorado Regional Park and Nature Center. The letter point is particularly astute because, in departing the JFTB, helicopters head west between Katella & Cerritos (Willow & Spring) directly toward the Nature Center.

Image source: Environmental Assessment: Stationing a U.S. Army Reserve Black Hawk Helicopter Company at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, CA

If the aircraft overshoot the right turn at the 605 freeway, they would end up directly over the Nature Center and El Dorado Park as they head north. That could prove to be a tempting maneuver for pilots trying to avoid the residential areas.

When the draft Environmental Assessment was released last month, letters dated March 7th were sent to local city managers inviting them to attend an open house at the JFTB on March 16th. A flyer announcing the event erroneously stating the event date as Thursday March 16 when it was actually a Wednesday, although the EA says ads were placed in the Press-Telegram and Orange County Register announcing the open house. OCRegister.com reports that few residents attended; a search of PressTelegram.com found no coverage of the event on its news pages.

On Monday April 4, the Los Alamitos City Council took up the Black Hawk helicopter relocation issue as an agendized item, with military officials on hand to answer questions. Multiple residents complained about the lack of notification, and Los Alamitos Councilwoman Gerrie Graham-Mejia asked that the public comment period, currently scheduled to end April 19, be extended an additional 30 days.

Los Alamitos City Manager Jeffrey Stewart tells LBReport.com today (April 8) that the U.S. Army Reserve has responded by indicating that it doesn't plan to extend the comment period.

Those wishing to provide public comments have until April 19, 2011 to do so. Submissions should be sent to:

Ms. Carmen Call
63d Regional Support Command (RSC)
Directorate of Public Works
Environmental Branch
P.O. Box 63
Moffett Field, California 94035
Phone: (650) 279-1823
Email: carmen.call@usar.army.mil

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