Friday, June 22, 2012
Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana is suing the Department of Defense to stop it from moving a wing of fighter jets—and the hundreds of jobs associated with it—to another state.
As part of a restructuring effort, the U.S. Air Force wants to relocate the 120th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard from Great Falls to Fresno, California. This would mean transferring 15 F-15 fighters.
Schweitzer, a Democrat, said in his lawsuit that Montana needs to keep the planes for “effective response to domestic emergencies.”
The governor did not explain what he meant by domestic emergency.
It may have something to do with losing jobs, as Schweitzer did remark that the fighter wing has 800 National Guardsmen attached to it. These jobs are responsible for contributing $66 million to the Great Falls economy, according to the governor.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
To Learn More:
Montana Takes on the U.S. Air Force (by Jonny Bonner, Courthouse News Service)
Brian Schweitzer v. Leon Panetta (U.S. District Court, Montana) (pdf)
Park Service Prepares to Kill Hundreds of Wild Bison; Montana Governor Grants Reprieve (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
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