Harney County authorizes official comments on Air Force Over‑the‑Horizon Radar DEIS, citing local environmental and water concerns

Harney County Court voted Sept. 16 to authorize Commissioner Doro to submit revised county comments on the Department of the Air Force's Over‑the‑Horizon Radar Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The court agreed that the DEIS’s Region of Influence (ROI) treatment dilutes Harney County’s potential impacts by aggregating distant counties and recommended a more localized weighting of consequences.

Commissioner Doro told the court she had reviewed the DEIS materials in detail and drafted comments requesting a more thorough and county‑specific environmental and socioeconomic analysis. She highlighted concerns about groundwater drawdown studies, potential impacts to migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway, displacement of sagebrush habitat and socio‑economic consequences for ranching and grazing where BLM land withdrawals may be proposed. The court voted to approve Doro submitting the comments on behalf of the county.

Why it matters: The DEIS covers large regional infrastructure proposals with potential localized impacts on natural resources and rural economies. County comment letters can request additional analysis or mitigation measures that federal agencies must address in final decisions.

Next steps: Commissioner Doro will finalize edits and submit the county’s comments through the Air Force’s DEIS portal; staff noted the DEIS comment period was set to close shortly and asked staff and partner agencies for brief language on groundwater drawdown to incorporate.