E. Valley group tosses support to Luke

The East Valley Partnership Board of Directors has voted unanimously to approve the Luke Air Force Base Fighter F-35 Training Project.

The decision came earlier this month after the board received a recommendation from East Valley Partnership Government Relations Committee.

The Luke Air Force Base has served as a training facility for fighter pilots since 1941 and is the Air Force’s largest fighter wing and only active duty F-16 training base in the world.

The base is one of the facilities being considered by the Air Force for the new F-35 training base.

Luke Air Force Base employs more than 8,000 people and contributes in excess of $2 billion annually to Arizona’s economy, the board stated in a release.

The Air Force will begin conducting its environmental impact study to assess quality-of-life issues such as noise, economic impact and air/water quality.

The East Valley Partnership is a coalition of civic, business and political leaders from Ahwatukee, Apache Junction, Carefree, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fort McDowell Indian Community, Florence, Fountain Hills, Gila River Indian Community, Gilbert, Guadalupe, Mesa, Queen Creek, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes and Tempe dedicated to the economic development and promotion of the East Valley.