has become a major concern across the country for night‐time training operations both
on the ground and in the air. Excessive amounts of ground‐based light can severely
hamper the ability of pilots equipped with NVG or using unaided naked eye to safely
operate aircraft while conducting flight maneuvers including low level operations.
Arizona Army National Guard pilots operating out of SBAH generally fly without NVG;
however, there are military missions that fly in the JLUS Project Area that make use of
them.
As the use of electronic billboards increases in Pinal County, particularly in areas around
AZARNG military sites and along I‐10 near military helicopter training areas, the potential
for light pollution impacts on the flying mission will increase. The potential impacts on
night‐time helicopter flying operations, including those where pilots use unaided naked
eye and / or NVG may result in an inability to successfully train pilots and carry out the
AZARNG mission.
Issue:
LG‐2
AZARNG Site:
Florence
Military
Reservation
There is potential for future impacts to night
training at Florence Military Reservation.
There are currently no existing major impacts to
night training at Florence Military Reservation,
but as new construction, infrastructure
improvements, and other types of growth and
development continues around the installation,
increased artificial lighting may inhibit night vision
goggle training.
Compatibility Assessment
Pinal County continues to be one of the fastest growing jurisdictions in Arizona. In 2017
it had the greatest percentage of population increase in the state, growing at an
estimated 14.5 percent. Situated in the corridor connecting the Phoenix metro area and
the Tucson metro area, the County is poised for continued growth well into the future.
With the increase in population comes an increase in development to support the
housing, services and employment needs of the residents. This growth has the potential
to impact AZARNG operations in the County in many ways, some of which may be
negative impacts unless efforts are made to address potential incompatible
development.
One area adjacent to FMR that could have a major impact on the AZARNG mission is the
Superstition Vistas. The Superstition Vistas is a proposed master plan community that
covers 175,000 acres of undeveloped land held in trust by the ASLD. Described in the
2015 Pinal County Comprehensive Plan as a “jewel among Arizona’s land trust lands”, the
area borders FMR to the west and extends north and west towards the Phoenix metro
5-102
Compatibility Assessment