Public hearing set to look at proposed Camp Grayling expansion
GAYLORD — A proposal that would more than double the size of Camp Grayling calls for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to lease additional public land to the military training facility.
The DNR is scheduled to conduct a public hearing on the expansion at 6 p.m. on June 22 at Kirtland Community College, 4800 W. 4 Mile Road in Grayling.
Last month, the Michigan National Guard revealed plans to increase the size of Camp Grayling, which occupies parts of Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego counties. The proposed expansion covers 162,000 acres around the camp and is designed to accommodate new training methods. Currently the camp covers about 148,000 acres.
A map of the proposed area is available on the DNR website.
Col. Scott Meyers, Camp Grayling commander, said the Otsego County acreage in the proposed expansion totals about 18,833 acres. It is "contiguous to our current training areas following (northeast) of our northern range," he said.
Otsego County Commissioner Robert Pallarito, District V, said the Guthrie Lakes Association has been informed about the expansion and the group will have a special meeting next month.
"On the proposed map, a new firing point is tentatively indicated in the new land near Old State Road. This firing point is probably going to impact Johannesburg and the southern end of Michawaye," Pallarito said.
The newly proposed training areas, if approved, would be used for periodic, low impact activities such as drone operation, cyber, electronic warfare, space and communication system installation and operation. Low impact or light maneuver training consists of foot traffic, tents, bivouacking and porta-johns. Vehicle travel will be restricted to current state forest roads and trails.
"My concern (about the expansion) comes from the results of the Joint Land Use Study from a few years ago that revealed Camp Grayling's impact on roads and the lack of communication with the community. An expansion in (the) area will take military vehicles on already poor Otsego County roads. I would like to see a cost sharing for infrastructure repairs between (the) county, township and the military," said Pallarito.
As far as noise produced by the training, Meyers said the lease agreement and the type of training that will occur is "low Impact training. High impact training areas are the loud booms some Otsego County residents currently hear near our bombing range east of Waters. Low impact training is smaller vehicles using existing roads and trails, or soldiers walking through the woods. Low impact may include the use of blank rounds, quieter than a shotgun or a rifle. The noise levels compare to current noise of civilian uses in the same areas."
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Pallarito added that "I would hope that as the military expands closer to inhabited areas, with less state land to buffer noise, the military would communicate their plans. Most residents are OK with the training, but want advance notice to prepare themselves and pets."
Assuming the expansion is approved, military exercises involving drone operation, cyber, electronic warfare, space and communication system installation and operation will be conducted on the property. Would any of these activities interfere with the television reception, internet access or cell phone service of nearby residents, hunters, hikers, or others?
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"The (Federal Communications Commission) FCC oversees and manages spectrum use. In addition, all of our devices and locations must go through rigorous approvals so we specifically do not interfere with TV reception, cell phones, emergency systems, internet, etc. I will add however, let's say we are doing drone defeat training with some of our technologies. If a civilian drone is flying in that same area, it will also be brought down by the technology. We intend to mitigate by letting the community know when we have soldiers training in the specific training areas," Meyers said.
The DNR would maintain ownership of the leased land and would continue to manage the resources, including hunting, fishing, forestry, and minerals. The lands would remain open to hunting and no military training will occur during the state gun deer season that runs from Nov. 15-30. Hunting, camping, fishing and ORV trails will remain open and no permanent fencing will be erected.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Public hearing set to look at proposed Camp Grayling expansion
