The People of Vermont versus the Military Industrial Complex
F-35 opponents turned out to the Bernie Sanders Labor Day Picnic in Burlington. The Coalition distributed informational leaflets to over 200 people. Picnic attendees were overwhelmingly eager to learn more about the issue.
Show Your Support for Your Community
Want to help spread the word about the F35s and support your community? Please download and print this sign to display in your house window, car window or front lawn to show your opposition to the F35 basing in Vermont. Click on the logo to get a large format file!
Click here for our latest brochure that you can print out, fold up and distribute. As always, thanks for your support.
Stop the F35 Primary Election Voting Guide
Friends and Neighbors, Many of you are concerned about the F-35 being based in Vermont. The best
way to encourage debate on this matter (with a Governor, U.S. Senator
and U.S. Representative who have indicated support for the F-35
before any of the important facts were known) would be to take one of
the following actions at the primary elections August 28, 2012:
- The coalition strongly urges
this action. Vote in the primary election on the Progressive
ballot, including the following write-in votes:
Organizing to Stop the F-35: The Choice for Vermont
Paul Fleckenstein and Alex Buckingham, August 2012
HUNDREDS OF northern Vermont residents are campaigning against U.S. Air Force plans to base the new F-35 bomber at the Burlington, Vt., airport–and they’re getting fierce opposition for their activism from the primary backers of the plan, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy and the rest of Vermont’s Democratic Party establishment.
What Every Vermonter Should Know about the F-35
10 FACTS from the U.S. Air Force Environmental Impact Statement
- The F-35 is at least 4 times louder than the F-16.
- The F-35 will put 2944 homes, 6675 people, 5 schools and 6 churches in a zone “generally not considered suitable for residential use” including more than half of Winooski.
- Homes exposed to the increased noise from the F-35 may lose between 11{33979494efa9b9c28f844b5c37a1ddedf4bb90a2eb3dac7a83ede58b7eac2e67} and 42{33979494efa9b9c28f844b5c37a1ddedf4bb90a2eb3dac7a83ede58b7eac2e67} of their value.
- Projected “Class A Mishaps” (the crash rate) for the F-35 is 11 times higher than those of the F-16.
U.S. sees lifetime cost of F-35 fighter at $1.45 trillion
Thu, Mar 29 2012
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/29/us-lockheed-fighter-idUSBRE82S03L20120329
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government now projects that the total cost to develop, buy and operate the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be $1.45 trillion over the next 50-plus years, according to a Pentagon document obtained by Reuters.
Interactive Google Map Showing Contrasting 65 DNL Lines
Great map showing the confusion between the 65 decibel Day/Night noise levels (DNL) between the Vermont Air National Guard, US Air Force Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Burlinton International Airport (BIA). The reasonable thing for our representatives at all levels seeing this confusion is to say NO to the F-35s, at least until the maps that underly the studies are clarified and the apparent confusion is dispelled.
Please use the link below the map to open the map in a larger format: zoom in, zoom out. Whose scenario puts your house in ther 65 DNL?
View F-35 65 DNL Contours – South Burlington, VT in a larger map
No Factual Data Against the F-35 Basing? Actually, there is!
Here are 2 excellent responses to General Cray’s factually challenged attempt to dismiss concerns over noise, property values, and quality of life.
orig. op-ed here: http://vtdigger.org/2012/07/18/cray-no-factual-data-to-support-that-military-flight-operations-at-the-airport-have-negatively-affected-local-property-values/
The General says they “fully expect the updated analysis and modified local flying operations to decrease the 65 dB DNL contour” area. In February 2006, the Guard predicted that a change of engines would make the F-16 quieter (see FAA Part 150 report page 22). The Guard was wrong.
Stop the F-35! Protest at the Democratic Party Fundraiser
Senator Pat Leahy, Senator Bernie Sanders, Congressman Peter Welch, and Governor Peter Shumlin (the politicians with the power to stop the basing in Burlington) will all be attending.
Come tell them all, “Stop the F-35! Support and do not destroy neighboring communities.”
When: Thursday, July 19, 5:30 pm (we will be gathering between 5:00 and 5:30)
Where: Ethan Allen Homestead Pavilion, Burlington, VT MAP