Governor signs bill helpful to fort

Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Review ^ | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

FORT HUACHUCA — With Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano’s signature on Senate Bill 1387 additional protection for critical electronic ranges on Fort Huachuca now requires notification of any potential impact to the fort by any building or developing property proposal close to those military facilities and allows the military the right to object.

With her signature on the bill on May 12, Napolitano set into motion amendments to existing state law specifically providing an additional level of protection to military installations in Arizona.

The main sponsor of the bill was State Senate President Tim Bee, whose district includes the post.

Because of the special electronic environment around the Southern Arizona Army post, Bee said there was a need to protect the ranges which are used for training, testing and developing equipment needed for national security and the ongoing war against terrorism.

The special geographical topography around the post sets up an electronically-clean “bowl” surrounded by protecting mountains, creating an environment free for military testing of electronic signals, unmanned aerial systems and intelligence and electronic warfare training.

In the past, Maj. Gen. John Custer, the commander of the Intelligence Center and the fort, has said there is no other place in the United States that has such an electronic pure environment and the only other place in the world that is close “is the outback in Australia.”

He and other military leaders on the post have said the special testing capabilities free of electronic interference is critical to the nation’s defense, as well as the fort’s survival as a military installation.

Bee and others, including the governor, have said Fort Huachuca is a key component in the state’s economic arena and its closure would be a major financial loss to the state’s economic well-being.

Although the bill was important for Fort Huachuca, it also applies to any other military installations in Arizona that operate special electronic-driven ranges to protect them from civilian encroachment.

Herald/Review senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or at bill.hess@svherald.com.