Airspace and education were two of the prime topics for discussion Tuesday when local leaders met with Pentagon officials during the annual Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce trip to Washington, D.C.
Twenty two chamber members and Enid leaders have made the trip. The group will meet today with members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation, including Sen. Jim Inhofe and Reps. Frank Lucas, Mary Fallin and Tom Cole.
Tuesday the Enid group met with Col. Edward Chupein, the Air Force’s chief of ranges and airspace, as well as Kathleen Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations.
“We were able to update them on the community, state and congressional delegation’s activities to protect and enhance Vance Air Force Base,” said Mike Cooper, military liaison for the city of Enid.
Among the airspace issues discussed was the potential growth of wind farms in northwest Oklahoma.
“The Air Force is not against windmills, they just want us to try to put them in the right place,” said Dan Ohnesorge, former vice commander at Vance and currently director of Enid Woodring Regional Airport.
“The point he (Chupein) emphasized was the importance of communication as these wind energy projects develop,” said Jon Blankenship, president and chief executive officer of Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce. “It is crucial to have open communication. What we don’t want to do is jeopardize Vance’s airspace.”
Blankenship said the group reported on the passage of the recently approved $99.5 million bond issue that will build two new elementary schools in Enid and upgrade existing facilities.
“That is obviously a huge quality-of-life issue and a success for Enid,” he said. “They (Pentagon officials) were pleased to hear that news.”
The group also discussed proposed military construction projects at Vance, including a $20 million squadron operations facility.
“We are going to try to accelerate the funding of that project,” Blankenship said, “so we can get it sooner rather than later.”
Today the group will brief the congressional delegation on Vance, as well as discuss other issues. Among those will be a bill before Congress to expand Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to include non-college facilities, such as Autry Technology Center.
“That is important legislation to try to get career tech training programs funded through that bill for veterans,” said Blankenship.
The group also will express opposition to proposed emissions regulation legislation (also known as cap-and-trade). Such legislation could impact Enid’s Koch Nitrogen fertilizer plant, Blankenship said.
“If they shut down fertilizer plants, it could have wide-ranging effects extending to the food industry,” he said. “It could have wide ramifications for a major sector of our regional economy with the potential for a loss of jobs.”
But, Cooper said, Vance always is near the top of the chamber’s agenda during its annual Washington trip.
“That is why we come up here and explain the things we continue to do,” he said. “How the community, state and federal delegation work to expand and enhance Vance’s mission.”