Chukar Flats In Trouble?

Passing along the following info on another strip in danger!!

Endangered airstrip needs your help! A spectacular airstrip on the John Day River "Chukar Flats" is in danger of being managed out of existence. The BLM is finalizing their new Resource Management Plan (RMP) and we want to make sure that Chukar Flats (and other airstrips on the John Day) are not closed to aircraft. Please take a moment to send and email message to: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

A simple sentence or two saying that you favor continued Aircraft access to the "Chukar Flats" Airstrip on the John Day River would be sufficient. If you have any pictures or comments on the importance of this airstrip please include those. By the way if you have not been you should go. Be sure to get a pilot familiar with the strip to take you in the first time.

*Please email your comment as soon as possible! The end of the comment period is Jan. 29 2009.*


This is from the website, http://www.shortfield.com.

The airstrip is on the John Day River in a stretch of about 50-60 miles with no public access about 2/3rds the way down. There are other strips used by Supercub type A/C that no one seems to care about also. A quick note and a comment about the other airstrips is needed. This the only access in this 50-60 mile stretch of river other than float trips.
Robert

Hopefully the end of the comment period is January 2010, otherwise we'll be a tad bit late.

Below is the e-mail note I sent in to the suggested e-mail link in the original post. I tried to make a valid case for leaving this strip alone in terms that the government would be interested in. Anyone who wishes to use any or all of this in their own e-mail or letter to the local authorities is completely welcome to plagarize the crap out of this:
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Please add my strongest possible personal support for the continued, restriction-free operation of the Chukar Flats airstrip on the John Day River. This resource is of high value to pilots, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts.

The airstrip(s) in this area represent environmentally responsible access to a large strip of otherwise inaccessible wilderness land. Any other type of access (public road or waterways) would create more harm to the local environment than air access. Road and water access can leave fuel, oil, ruts, and spills for many miles leading into this area. Even assuming the same fuel and oil issues exist with an aircraft, these environmental hazards would be contained in a small area compared to roads or waterways.

The airstrip by its nature is accessible to only smaller private sized "bush plane" type aircraft that use smaller amounts of fuel and create less noise than any commercial aircraft. The Chukar Flats airstrip and the other nearby small airstrips represent the largest public benefit and infrastructure access to this area, with the smallest possible public expense and the least environmental concerns.

Adding any further restrictions or burden on the pilots and outdoor enthusiasts wishing to access these resources is needless, and will cost far more to implement and manage than what it returns. Please leave the Chukar Flats and surrounding "bush plane" strips open and unrestricted, it is the best choice for the local environment and the best service to the public.

Sincerely,

William M. Berle

Yeah, the article/information I have on shortfield.com is from last year and so was the deadline. However, it probably doesn't hurt for us to occasionally remind the "people in charge" that we like those strips and think they should be preserved.