FAA has final say in proposed Marine Corps Special Use Airspace expansion for Morongo Basin

If you are wondering what is going on with the United States Marine Corps proposed expansion of the Special Use Airspace in the Morongo Basin – we have a few updates.

A quick refresher: in the fall of this year the Marine Corp proposed a permanent Special Use Airspace above the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center and the areas adjacent to it – namely most of the Morongo Basin and the Johnson Valley OHV area. The project website says the expansion would support current and future training activities 365 days a year. It also says there would be no change to the public’s access to the Johnson Valley Shared Use area, but it also says that because of the permanent nature of the Special Use Airspace, you may have to get the Marine’s permission to now use parts of the expanded airspace.

Read: Draft Proposed Special Use Airspace Environmental Assessment (PDF link)

The initial release of the proposal had off-road groups, amateur aviators and residents concerned that would mean more access for the military while simultaneously shrinking the available airspace for things like piloting personal planes and drones. The non-profit organization BlueRibbon Coalition released an initial response in late August saying that the restrictions would harm offroad activities in Johnson Valley like the King of the Hammers, which draws thousands of people out to the area. They say medevac flights and other essential emergency response could be impacted, thus limiting the off-road events.

The BlueRibbon Coalition describes themselves as a national group that fights to preserve recreation access to America’s public lands, and they had a hand in keeping the Johnson Valley OHV area open to the public year round, with two limited training closures for the Marines in a special Shared Use area.

There was a public comment period and a timeline given by the Marine Corp, and then a waiting period where info fell dark during the Federal Government Shutdown. The Marine Corps did release two fact sheets about the proposal which also included alternatives to the permanent year-round expansion.

In those fact sheets, the Marine Corps says that recreation activities and events would not be impacted and offroad use, drone usage and low-flying aircraft can continue as it does today without permission or authorization required from the Marines. It also states that emergency medevac flights would remain prioritized and protected.

Read: Marine Corps Proposed Airspace Expansion Frequently Asked Questions (PDF link)

The BlueRibbon Coalition said in a statement released in mid November that they appreciate the Marines’ willingness to share information with the public and that they are approaching the conversation with respect for their role, but they respectfully disagree with some of the items on the fact sheets which don’t line up with the Draft Environmental Assessment released by the Marines.

Z107.7 contacted Capt. Johnathon Huizar, he’s the Director of Communication Strategy and Operations for the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.

He said that the Combat Center is grateful for the public comments, and that they are confident that the Final Environmental Assessment will provide clarity to stakeholders in the area. That final assessment is expected in Winter of 2026, but the final assessment does not establish the airspace, though. That’s ultimately up to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has the sole authority to make a formal decision on the airspace proposal. That decision could take as long as an additional 7 months from the final Environment Assessment.

While the initial public comment period with the Marine Corps ended in September, there are still additional ways for the public to voice their concerns. As part of the FAA’s review process, the government organization will publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register, which will allow the public to submit comments or concerns.

Until then, it’s business as usual in the airspace around the hi-desert. We’ll keep an eye on the long process of the proposed expansion and keep you informed on what’s happening in the skies and on the ground of the Morongo Basin.