- Joined
- Mar 19, 2005
- Location
- Raleigh
Follow the link to post comments/feedback regarding: Environmental Assessment for Permanent Special Use Airspace Establishment and Modifications at Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Twentynine Palms, California.
What this means (from Shannon Welch, VP, BlueRibbon Coalition and Former Communications Director, King of the Hammers):
"Over a decade ago, thousands of us stood together to protect Johnson Valley when the Marines tried to take it all. That fight was long and hard — and in the end, we didn’t win outright. We lost half of Johnson Valley permanently to the Marines. What we kept, we had to agree to share with them twice a year for training exercises.
That was the compromise. We accepted it because it kept part of Johnson Valley open to the public, and Congress stepped in to make what was left a congressionally designated OHV area.
Now the Marines are back with a new tactic. They’re not trying to take the ground this time — they’re trying to take the sky.
What’s Happening
The Marines are proposing to create a permanent Special Use Airspace (SUA) called R-2509 over Johnson Valley. On paper, they say OHV “shared use” on the ground won’t change. But here’s what that really means:
Surface-to-sky restricted airspace means no civilian helicopters or drones without Marine permission."
That would block:
• Medevac flights for emergencies in Johnson Valley.
• Helicopters and drones that provide live coverage of King of the Hammers.
• Chase helicopters that monitor race cars for safety during testing and tuning.
• Utility helicopters that maintain the power lines running through the desert.
Why This Matters
Means Dry Lake and Cougar Buttes, the two most popular camping and riding areas, sit directly under this proposed restricted zone. That means the skies above where you park your RVs, camp with your families, and head into the hills would be off-limits to the public.
Without helicopters and drones, King of the Hammers cannot survive as the global event it has become. Without medevac flights, lives will be lost.
This is not what Congress intended when they protected Johnson Valley for OHV use. Shared use was already a compromise. Taking the skies is not balance — it’s a back-door land grab.
The Marines’ Pattern of Creep
When the compromise was made, we were told shared use would mean only a couple of closures each year. Now, they’ve pushed the dates closer and closer to King of the Hammers.
In 2025, the Marines close Johnson Valley starting February 13 — less than a week after KOH ends. In 2026, they start on February 12. This isn’t coincidence. It makes it harder every year for KOH to operate.
Step by step, the Marines are squeezing OHV use out of Johnson Valley. First it was half the land. Now it’s the skies. Next year, what will it be?
Why the EA is Confusing
The Draft Environmental Assessment is written in technical jargon. Even subject-matter experts struggle to parse it. Aviation professionals can confuse a MOA (which still allows civilian flights with caution) with a Restricted Area/SUA (which flatly prohibits them). The Marines count on most people reading “OHV won’t be affected” and moving on. But the truth is, Johnson Valley OHV use is directly threatened.
What We Need to Do
Submit your comment before September 15, 2025 at: https://www.29palmspsua.com/Comments.aspx
Key points to include:
• No surface-to-sky restricted airspace over Johnson Valley.
• Protect medevac access to Means Dry Lake and Cougar Buttes.
• Keep helicopters and drones available for King of the Hammers and other sanctioned events
• Honor Congressional intent: Johnson Valley was already cut in half for the Marines. The rest must remain truly open for OHV use
The way we can accomplish this is by requesting the following:
o The shared use area must remain open from the surface up to 1,500 feet above the highest terrain (~4,300 ft at Fry Mountain).
o The shared use corridor must be one continuous area, not split into four separate zones (R-2509 A–D).
"We already proved once that the OHV community can rise up to protect Johnson Valley. This time, the fight is for the skies above it. We gave up half of Johnson Valley already. We agreed to share what remained. Taking the skies now is one compromise too many."
What this means (from Shannon Welch, VP, BlueRibbon Coalition and Former Communications Director, King of the Hammers):
"Over a decade ago, thousands of us stood together to protect Johnson Valley when the Marines tried to take it all. That fight was long and hard — and in the end, we didn’t win outright. We lost half of Johnson Valley permanently to the Marines. What we kept, we had to agree to share with them twice a year for training exercises.
That was the compromise. We accepted it because it kept part of Johnson Valley open to the public, and Congress stepped in to make what was left a congressionally designated OHV area.
Now the Marines are back with a new tactic. They’re not trying to take the ground this time — they’re trying to take the sky.
What’s Happening
The Marines are proposing to create a permanent Special Use Airspace (SUA) called R-2509 over Johnson Valley. On paper, they say OHV “shared use” on the ground won’t change. But here’s what that really means:
Surface-to-sky restricted airspace means no civilian helicopters or drones without Marine permission."
That would block:
• Medevac flights for emergencies in Johnson Valley.
• Helicopters and drones that provide live coverage of King of the Hammers.
• Chase helicopters that monitor race cars for safety during testing and tuning.
• Utility helicopters that maintain the power lines running through the desert.
Why This Matters
Means Dry Lake and Cougar Buttes, the two most popular camping and riding areas, sit directly under this proposed restricted zone. That means the skies above where you park your RVs, camp with your families, and head into the hills would be off-limits to the public.
Without helicopters and drones, King of the Hammers cannot survive as the global event it has become. Without medevac flights, lives will be lost.
This is not what Congress intended when they protected Johnson Valley for OHV use. Shared use was already a compromise. Taking the skies is not balance — it’s a back-door land grab.
The Marines’ Pattern of Creep
When the compromise was made, we were told shared use would mean only a couple of closures each year. Now, they’ve pushed the dates closer and closer to King of the Hammers.
In 2025, the Marines close Johnson Valley starting February 13 — less than a week after KOH ends. In 2026, they start on February 12. This isn’t coincidence. It makes it harder every year for KOH to operate.
Step by step, the Marines are squeezing OHV use out of Johnson Valley. First it was half the land. Now it’s the skies. Next year, what will it be?
Why the EA is Confusing
The Draft Environmental Assessment is written in technical jargon. Even subject-matter experts struggle to parse it. Aviation professionals can confuse a MOA (which still allows civilian flights with caution) with a Restricted Area/SUA (which flatly prohibits them). The Marines count on most people reading “OHV won’t be affected” and moving on. But the truth is, Johnson Valley OHV use is directly threatened.
What We Need to Do
Submit your comment before September 15, 2025 at: https://www.29palmspsua.com/Comments.aspx
Key points to include:
• No surface-to-sky restricted airspace over Johnson Valley.
• Protect medevac access to Means Dry Lake and Cougar Buttes.
• Keep helicopters and drones available for King of the Hammers and other sanctioned events
• Honor Congressional intent: Johnson Valley was already cut in half for the Marines. The rest must remain truly open for OHV use
The way we can accomplish this is by requesting the following:
o The shared use area must remain open from the surface up to 1,500 feet above the highest terrain (~4,300 ft at Fry Mountain).
o The shared use corridor must be one continuous area, not split into four separate zones (R-2509 A–D).
"We already proved once that the OHV community can rise up to protect Johnson Valley. This time, the fight is for the skies above it. We gave up half of Johnson Valley already. We agreed to share what remained. Taking the skies now is one compromise too many."
