FAIRBANKS, Alaska — North Pole officials predict dire consequences if an Air Force squadron moves to Anchorage: rampant unemployment, school closures and hundreds of empty homes.
North Pole Mayor Bryce Ward said the proposed move of the F-16 Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage would bring “unacceptable” changes to the community.
More than 100 people protested the move at a meeting where the Air Force allowed the last round of public comments on an Environmental Impact Statement that foresees similarly dismal results for the community if the squadron moves.
The move would save about $227 million.
Air Force officials say the comments will be incorporated into a final report due out before the end of the year used to make the final decision.
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Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com
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