BOISE, Idaho — The National Guard Bureau is extending the comment period that's part of the process for determining if Gowen Field in Boise will become an alternative beddown location for F-35A fighter jets.
Gowen Field, home of the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Fighter Wing, is one of five locations being considered as a backup site for 18 of the jets.
The National Guard Bureau has prepared a draft environmental impact statement, and opened a public comment period on August 9.
That comment period, originally set to close on Friday, September 27, has been extended to Friday, November 1.
The environmental impact statement shows that in Boise, 272 households and more than 600 residents would be directly affected by noise from the aircraft.
Backers of making Boise a home for the F-35, Boise's mayor among them, have said the move would bring jobs to the area and ensure for the long term an Air National Guard mission at Gowen Field.
The Boise School District has submitted a comment saying it cannot support a possible F-35 beddown in Boise, due to possible adverse impacts on Owyhee Elementary School.
Those possible impacts include the need for noise mitigation measures or the closure of the school, which is in the Sunrise Rim neighborhood just north of the Boise Airport and Gowen Field.
At a meeting on September 5, many people who live in the area of impact voiced several concerns -- primarily noise.
Right now, the 124th Fighter Wing flies A-10 Thunderbolt II fighters, sometimes called "tankbusters" because of their role in providing close air support to ground troops.
The Air Force would replace the A-10 with the F-35 if Boise was chosen as a site for the new jets.