It’s time to go there again:  the F-35 fighter jet should not be based at Burlington airport.

There are so many reasons why not:  

.There is a statistically high crash potential for new aircraft, like the F-35, that have minimal flight hours logged…anywhere.  Crashes are more likely to occur right after takeoff than at any other point in a flight.  That would make the immediate Burlington area the most likely  location for a crash.

.Burlington’s urban population lives in close proximity to the airport.  All of the other locations considered for this siting were appropriately situated away from civilian populations.  Burlington should never even have been in the running.

.Lake Champlain has a sensitive ecosystem which may be negatively impacted by the daily activity of F-35’s departing and returning to Burlington Airport.  Sophisticated new radar systems may represent additional disruptions for wildlife.

.Despite promises to the contrary, there is every reason to expect that the sound of the F-35’s will be significantly more disturbing than that of F-16’s currently in use.

.Any advanced weapons system represents a potential target to enemies of the U.S.  Burlington will be at the center of that target once the F-35 is located there.

.As was long suspected, we are learning that the F-35 will be nuclear capable.  Despite assurances to the contrary,  if the F-35 is deployed to Burlington airport, sooner or later, nuclear weapons will be onboard.  Nevermind the moral implications of a nuclear Burlington; it’s not difficult to imagine the risk involved for all of Vermont.

We can no longer trust cooler heads to prevail.

HR 7 is a House Resolution to preemptively ban nuclear weapons in Vermont.  So far, the Resolution has not been voted out of the General, Housing and Military Affairs Committee.

It’s time for every concerned Vermonter to call the Sergeant at Arms at (802) 828-2228 and tell him to pass a message on your behalf to Rep. Tom Stevens, the Committee Chair, that you want him to bring HR 7 up for discussion, and to please vote for it.

If you’ve been feeling a little powerless lately, this is your chance to make a difference.  Your voice can still be heard in Montpelier; so sing out loud, before it’s too late.