56th Fighter Wing

I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

Interagency Collaboration at the Barry M. Goldwater Range

Mr. Chas Buchanan Director of Operations56th Range Management Office

Overview• Background Information

• Formation of the Interagency Team

• Recovery of the Sonoran Pronghorn

• Response to Undocumented Aliens

• Conclusion

BMGR Complex

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Bagdad MOA

Gladden MOA

Jackel-Outlaw MOA(Tucson ANG)

Sells MOA

LATN Area

Rub y MOA

Fuzzy MOA

NTAC

STAC

ETAC

R4

R1

R3R2

E

A

B

C

D

N20 0 20 40 Miles

Mexico

Davis-Monthan AFB

MCAS Yuma

Luke AFB

Organ Pipe Cactus Natl Monument

Cabeza Prieta NWR

Tohono O’odham Nation

BMGR-E Specifics

• Capability• 4 Manned ranges• 3 Tactical ranges• 5 live target areas

• Uniqueness• No mining• No grazing• No agriculture• No residential• No air routes

• Consulting agencies• Cabeza Prieta NWR• Organ Pipe CNM• USMC• BLM

• 1.05 M acres land / 1.8 M acres restricted airspace

• Davis Monthan: Only A-10 Training Unit– 150 Students per year (3 yr avg)

• Tucson: Largest ANG F-16 Training Unit– 180 Students per year (3 yr avg)

• Luke: Only Active USAF F-16 Training Unit

• 450+ Students per year (3 yr avg)

Strategic Importance

BMGR Complex User ScopeIrreplaceable National Training Asset

Regular Users – 23 Flying Squadrons • 56 FW / 944 FW (Luke) 9 x F-16 Sq• 162 FW (Tucson) 4 x F-16 Sq

Snowbirds Guard / FMS • 355 WG (DM) 3 x A-10 Sq• 563 RQG (CSAR) MC-130 / HH-60 / SERE• 305 RQS (AFRC) HH-60• WAATS (Silverbell) 2 x AH-64 Co• 1 - 285th BN AH-64 Co

Exercises WTI, JAGCEOTHER USERS: Navy, USMC, Army, other USAF

Scope of Use: Aviation• Military Aviation Activities Sorties/year (FY04)

• BMGR East Users (USAF) ~46,000

• BMGR E Complex (incl Sells) ~60,000

• BMGR West Users (USMC) ~18,000

• Other Aviation Activities:

• DHS Customs and Border Protection

• US Fish & Wildlife Service

• Arizona Game & Fish Dept

~1,000

Minimal Surface Disturbance

Natural ~87% features/processes dominate landscape

Natural features & ~4%processes still dominate -military use is apparent

Military 1.8%surface use dominates landscape

Negligible ~7% disturbance; natural features dominate landscape

Team FormationGoldwater Range is BLM withdrawn land• 1986: BLM assigned land management, began developing

management plan• Very high public interest and involvement

• Mid-1990s: Public still interested, but few meetings • Complaints: agencies all doing their own thing• Gaps and overlaps

• Late 1996: BLM meetings for whoever was interested • Well attended by the public and interest groups • Agency reps: two BLM offices, Air Force, Marine Corps,

Arizona Game & Fish Dept, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge

• Topics included agency updates, Q&A with the public, open dialogue

Team FormationLate 1990s – confluence of events

• Expiring land withdrawal required Environmental Impact Statement to Congress for renewal• Air Force needed others as cooperating agencies • EIS triggered need for many environmental studies

• Endangered Sonoran pronghorn on range– subject of lawsuits and consultations with USFWS

• High level of public interest but from people with divergent perspectives• Conservation, recreation, etc.

Team Formation1997– Strengthen our alliances • Formalized the Partners Group agencies into a cooperative

forum• Established the BMGR Executive Council (BEC)

• Drafted a charter, signed an MOU• Agreed on participants, chairmanship,

meeting venues• Information exchange for

better management

Team FormationBMGR Executive Council (BEC)• An advisory group• Each agency retains its authorities• Information sharing and coordination • Established subcommittees to focus on topics

• Law Enforcement• Transportation• Public Relations• Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Team

Team Formation• BMGR Executive Council (BEC)

• Consultative managementRon PearceRange ManagementMCAS Yuma

Kathy Billings SuperintendentOrgan Pipe Nat Monument

Roger DiRosa, ManagerCabeza Prieta NWR, USFWS

Mark HaynesUS Border Patrol, Yuma

Maurice MooreUS Border Patrol, Tucson

Terry RamlDirector, Sonoran Desert NM

BLM, Phoenix

Jim UkenDirector, 56 RMO

Luke AFB

Duane ShroufeDirector, AZ Game & Fish

Tom ZaleField Manager, BLM Yuma

Martin VaughanCBP-Air

Team FormationMilitary Lands Withdrawal Act of 1999 (MLWA)• Mandated formation of the Interagency Executive Council

(IEC)• Institutionalized the Partners Meeting• New IEC charter• Members included tribes and local governments• AF hired an Interagency Coordinator and administrator

• IEC meetings continue to meet 3 times annually• Meeting location rotates– Yuma, Tucson, Phoenix metro• Cabeza Prieta NWR manager

is IEC chair

Team FormationArizona Commanders’ Summit• Began in 2000 as an AF initiative to address military training

issues on Goldwater Range • Initial membership included primary users of the range

• Commanders recognized many issues of common concern• Encroachment, environmental issues, community relations

• Expanded membership and focus to include commanders of all installations in Arizona• Signed a charter, • Meeting venue rotates

among installations• Host also invites local town mayor

Teamwork ResultsIssues Resolved Through Interagency

Collaboration

• Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery

• Undocumented Aliens

Teamwork ResultsSonoran pronghorn• Endangered species since 1967• US population on BMGR, Cabeza Prieta NWR, Organ Pipe,

and BLM land• Perilous population decline due to long-term drought

• 1998: about 140 animals • 2002: about 21 animals

• Emergency measures required to prevent extinction

Teamwork ResultsSonoran pronghorn emergency measures• Water stations provide supplemental water• Forage enhancement plots

• Well water used to irrigate small patches during critical times• Prolongs the naturally green patches into the critical early summer

• Collaborative interagency effort to identify potential locations, complete environmental assessment

• Four of five plots complete and in operation

• Collaborative pool of funds for ongoing O&M

Teamwork ResultsSonoran pronghorn emergency measures• Semi-captive breeding enclosure

Teamwork ResultsSonoran pronghorn emergency measures• Semi-captive breeding enclosure

• 1 sq mile enclosure, subdivided into quadrants • Well water to irrigate forage, plus supplemental feed • Does from Mexico sub-population provide genetic diversity• Bucks captured from US sub-population • Collaborative pool of funds for ongoing O&M

• Successful results• Year 1: 10 fawns, 6 survived • Year 2: 10 fawns, 9 survived

Teamwork ResultsSonoran pronghorn emergency measures

• Semi-captive breeding enclosure• The key to recovery of the population• Similar setup in Mexico produces

over 50 fawns annually

• Interagency planning for establishing a second population elsewhere (Kofa NWR)• Protects against calamity

of disease or natural disaster

• All results achieved through collaborative efforts!

Teamwork Results

Undocumented Aliens (UDA) • 1990s: inhospitable Sonoran Desert was a natural barrier• Increased Border Patrol response in California displaced

UDA traffic to porous desert crossings • Booming US economy plus economic shift in Mexico

• Resulted in demand and supply of labor

• Post- 9/11: Greatly increased Border Patrol response• Significant increase in number of

agents plus other resources• Seemingly out-matched by

increasing UDA traffic

Teamwork ResultsUndocumented Aliens (UDA)

• Impacts of UDA traffic and USBP response• Environmental– trammeling of desert lands• Military ops– disruption of military training activities

• Solution– better support for USBP and its mission• DHS reps join the BMGR Executive Council

• USBP Tucson• USBP Yuma• Customs & Border Protection -- Air

• Borderlands Management Task Force addresses DHS mission on federal lands

Teamwork ResultsUndocumented Aliens (UDA)

• Collaborative assistance to DHS• Shared regional geographical information system data• Supported installation of emergency beacons

• “Rescue me” call stations for UDAs in distress• Supported DHS air operations

• Established air operations protocol• Supported unmanned aerial vehicle ops• Working increased regional air ops

• Coordinated law enforcement activities

Teamwork ResultsUndocumented Aliens (UDA)

• Successful interagency collaboration• Better understanding of the DHS mission• Better support for their activities• Reduced impact on our mission

Conclusion• Interagency collaboration is beneficial to all

• Coordination de-conflicts our actions• Collaboration produces synergy

• Recognition of BMGR Executive Council:• BLM Director’s

“Four Cs Award” (Apr 2004)• Consultation, Cooperation,

Communication, and Conservation

56th Range Management OfficeSupport flying operations and pilot training,

incorporating dedicated stewardship of the natural and cultural resources entrusted to our care.

AMERICA’S AIR FORCE-NO ONE COMES CLOSE