Dobbins studies impact of community’s growth on AF mission Published Oct. 6, 2011 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Dobbins Air Reserve Base will kick off an initiative this week designed to better understand the shared interests of the base and surrounding community. The initiative will include workshops and personnel interviews and will culminate in the development of an Installation Complex Encroachment Management Action Plan (ICEMAP) slated for completion in September 2012. The key focus of the ICEMAP process is managing "encroachment," a term used to describe both the impact of community stakeholder's actions on current and future military activities and also the impact of the military's actions on the community. Encroachment impacts from natural factors and climate effects are also considered in the analysis. A third-party environmental and conservation consulting firm will lead the initiative at Dobbins ARB from October 3-7. Workshop activities will identify staff roles and responsibilities in managing encroachment and share the tools necessary to establish collaborative relationships among installation and community personnel. "The relationships we have with communities surrounding the base are extremely important," said Col. Marshall Irvin, 94th Mission Support Group commander. "This forum will help us identify areas of shared interest and develop management actions to ensure the success of our mission while also considering the concerns of the community." Some of the areas scheduled to be examined include air and land space restrictions, airborne noise, urban growth, endangered species/critical habitat, unexploded ordnance and munitions, energy compatibility and availability, security, and natural factors/climate effects.
