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Bombing range expansion plan statement time closing
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Joe Parker Jr
Correspondent
Updated: Nov 3, 2010, 8:08 PM
Published: Nov 3, 2010, 8:11 PM
Area residents concerned about the proposed expansion of the Townsend Bombing Range in Long County have a few days left to officially express their feelings.

The period for public comments, which had closed in September, has now been extended to Nov. 8.
Comments may be submitted on the TBS website:
http://www.townsendbombingrangeeis.com
by emailing:
townsendbombingrangeeis@ene.com
or by regular postal mail sent to:
Townsend EIS
Project Manager
P.O. Box 180458
Tallahassee FL 32318
The Department of the Navy is working on a statement of the environmental impact of its plan to expand the Townsend Bombing Range to take in about 20,000 acres in Long County. The public will have 45 days to comment on the EIS when it is released in 2011.
Mike McGowan, a Long County resident and a former county commissioner, is among those who have expressed opposition the plan. "Expansion of the Townsend Bombing Range will have a long-term, detrimental impact on the quality of life in Long County and a devastating financial impact on its citizens," he said.
McGowan explained that Long County includes 24,000 acres of the Fort Stewart military reservation as well as 17,000 acres of other land owned by governments or nonprofit organizations that do not pay property tax. "
"If the Townsend Bombing Range is expanded north of Highway 57 as proposed, an additional 20,000-plus acres would be removed from the tax digest in Long County, bringing the total non-taxable acreage to approximately 65,000. Not to mention the loss of potential development and diminished quality of life for residents of the Tibet, Townsend, Cox and Jones communities. These citizens already endure almost daily disruption to their lives due to noise exposure," McGowan said.
The McIntosh County range is owned by the Navy which uses it to train flight crews of Marine aircraft and is operated by the Georgia Air National Guard. TBR is the principal site for air-to-ground combat proficiency training for Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and is used by all armed services.
The expansion of the TBR is aimed at providing larger areas for training on modern Precision-Guided Munitions.
The draft environmental impact statement is expected in the fall of 2011. A final EIS is expected in the spring of 2012, followed by a decision in the fall. If the expansion is approved, officials will then ask Congress for military construction funds to pay for the modernization.


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Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
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Bryan County News
Updated: Dec 1, 2017, 7:02 PM
Published: Nov 28, 2017, 7:08 PM

Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

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