Local Concerns About Virginia Space Launches
Accomack Supervisors Blasted With Issues, Eastern Shore Post
“The rocket that malfunctioned at Wallops Island in October 2014 showed a grim picture of what could happen to nearby landowners. NASA’s blast zone is worrying those who reside inside, people whose families have lived on the farms for generations. Some are scared of property damage while others are wondering just how the designation will shape their future. “It ought to be a big concern to anyone who lives in these circles,” said Fred Darby of Assawoman, adding that those who live farther south haven’t escaped because if his property values go down, those who live or own in Belle Haven or Parksley or elsewhere will have to “take up the slack.” Darby warned, “There has to be a balance.” And he noted the effect on the local “quality of life.”
What is the “NASA Blast Zone?” The damage was confined to federal property even in what was essentially a worst case. Hard to see how it would impact property values more than the chicken houses and aquaculture that were also discussed, and bizarre that a local government would reject a high tech industry.
Yeah that wording is ridiculous. Do people reside inside range of a launch mishap as they said? Are they actually trying to reduce their property value by this wording and alarmism? Hey I guess some of them could be, to have less costs in poultry farms and aquaculture.
I wonder what the circles were that they were talking about. “Blast zone” and “rocket zone”… Are there any official terms for this? It would be good for an article like this to at least mention the official name. Being at the edge of some buffer zone should be ok by definition. If you think the buffer zone maybe isn’t big enough, then argue that, but there isn’t really a point to complaining about being outside a buffer zone.
Is there any chance for tourism here? Make the place a destination. Start small. Have astronomy events. Is it a dark sky area any chance? Play that up. It is close to population centers. And of course launch viewing. The ocean.
Bunch of crybabies. Wallops has been there long before the Delmarva peninsula became the playground of Washington gentry. Cocoa Beach has no problem being next to the Cape. Do the folks of high dollar Pacific beachfront homes gripe about Vandenberg? I don’t think so!
There are no beachfront homes within 20-30 miles of Vandenberg. North, it’s just mountains, sand dunes, and beaches until you get to around Pismo Beach. South, there’s cliffs and more mountains until you get to Gaviota. There’s barely any roads in that area. A few state parks, lots of scenic areas. Nice beaches.
The people all live inland: aside from people who live on-base, I think the closest residences are at the federal prison in Lompoc.
Having worked on 0A briefly I can say there are chicken coups literally at the launch site gates.
Which is pretty hilarious/odd.
I dont recall seeing any homes near MARS. It is pretty far away from anything, everyone that I worked with did not live in Chincoteague or the surrounding area. Most drove about an hour to WFF.
That being said, I wonder how much would need to go wrong from a rocket to come back up some distance and crash off of the WFF land.
Its the same line of BS that people pull when they buy property next to an airport or race track. After they move in they want the other guy to go away.
Dinky sounding rockets have been launching out of Wallops for decades so all this sudden NIMBY-ism has got to be entirely about Antares. One of the charms of watching launches from Wallops is that the incoming Atlantic rollers break nearly at the base of the 0A pad. Scenic as hell. Launch trajectories all go out over the ocean. If any Antares started moving inland even slightly, range safety could destroy it plenty fast enough to keep it from blowing up any civilians – including chickens. Worst case is you’d have another $15 million in damage to fix again. I don’t know who’s doing the complaining, but I suspect they’re looking for a payday of some sort. That needs not to happen.
Er Keith the link provided now links to: “Feathers Fly at Hearing” an article about chicken farming with the address http://www.easternshorepost…
SNAFU at their end?