As a pilot with the Pennsylvania National Guard, I have flown countless missions out of Fort Indiantown Gap.  While many are well aware that The Gap is centerpiece of Pennsylvania's outstanding guard units, it is perhaps less well known that units from around the nation depend on the Gap's unmatched facilities for training and overall readiness.
 
Fort Indiantown Gap hosts the Eastern Aviation Training School, one of only two aviation training centers for the Army and the Air National Guard in the continental United States.  The Gap is the second-busiest heliport in the nation, with almost 7,000 flights per year.  These facilities and the training provided by their continued operation is absolutely critical to the defense of our nation and the readiness of our armed forces.
 
Recent proposals to construct windmills on property adjoining the Gap has raised serious concerns within the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.  Recent press reports indicate DMVA is specifically concerned that the construction of windmills within the buffer zone surrounding the Gap will impact helicopter training maneuvers during nighttime hours and increase the risk of accidents.
 
With this in mind, I am reintroducing HB 1323 from last session.  It would require DEP to consult with the Adjutant General prior to permitting windmills within the flight path or airspace of the Gap.  I would appreciate your support of this initiative.