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Home > Desert Oracle Radio > Yucca Valley Airport board approves public opposition letter to Marine’s proposed airspace expansion
Podcast: Desert Oracle Radio
Episode:

Yucca Valley Airport board approves public opposition letter to Marine’s proposed airspace expansion
Category: Society & Culture
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2025-09-11 15:55:53
Description:

The Yucca Valley Airport District Board of Directors held their meeting on Wednesday night (9/10) at the Yucca Valley Community Center, with new business focusing primarily on the United States Marine Corps’ request to expand their airspace above public land and increase its use to 365 days a year.

After receiving a letter from the Marine Corps requesting public input, Board President Tim Lewis referred to their request for expansion as a “bad deal,” before providing a draft of his response letter to the Board to consider. 

Lewis’s letter to the Marine Corps provides a 16-point Impact on General Aviation at the Yucca Valley Airport. For safety issues, it would force pilots to fly under or around the airspace, increasing safety concerns between military and civilian aircraft; it would increase safety concerns with communities under the special use airspace; generate noise in Yucca Valley; and greatly impact commercial flights that fly regularly through the proposed corridor. 

The letter also included an Impact from the Public Standpoint, which states the proposed changes would negatively impact the OHV parks in Johnson Valley, stating “this could all but kill the off-road racing because aircraft, drones, and air ambulance services are used during this activity.” This would have an immediate effect on the annual King of the Hammers event, which “brings tens of thousands of people to Johnson Valley” and “millions of dollars of revenue into the economies of local communities.” Lewis stated the organizers of King of the Hammers have also sent their own opposition letter. 

After careful consideration, the Board voted to approve the response letter. 

Finally, the Board also voted to raise their Schedule of Fees by 5%, effective January 1, 2026. 

You can find links to the Marine Corps’ full proposed action, including alternative actions, along with more information about current airspace regulations at 29palmspsua.com.

The Marine Corps is accepting public comment on the proposed changes until September 15.  

Previously Reported:

The post Yucca Valley Airport board approves public opposition letter to Marine’s proposed airspace expansion appeared first on Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree.
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