A legal notice published in this week’s Green River Star signals the city’s intent to allow the Wyoming National Guard to make improvements on the landing strip at the Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport.
The notice states the improvements will include grading on the runway, taxi areas and an approach road. The improvements made will create better drainage at the site and make the area safer for aviators using the spaceport. The runway work would be done as a training exercise. Green River Mayor Pete Rust believes a partnership between the national guard and city would benefit both.
“It’s a win-win,” Rust said.
He said allowing the national guard to use the landing strip for training results in the city getting some improvements for no cost. He also sees the potential for some economic benefit as well, saying the national guard members coming to Green River will shop locally and stay at hotels in the city.
“They’ll be bringing in several dozen troops and spending money in the area,” Rust said.
He also hopes they have a chance to check out the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and possibly come back after the exercise.
He said the city Council is still committed to not spending taxpayer money on improving the strip. Under a previous administration, the spaceport area was pegged as a location for potential economic development and could bring money from tourism and industrial uses into Green River.
That idea faced intense public scrutiny and was mostly abandoned shortly after Rust was elected to office nearly four years ago, with the Council committing to not spending city funds at the spaceport. However, Rust said that position could change if the spaceport shows economic returns for Green River.
Rust believes the landing strip could provide an economic benefit to city at some point, saying while the spaceport wouldn’t operate at the level of the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport outside Rock Springs, it could still be used for private industry.
The notice does not give a timeline for the project outside of 2018 and gives a 30-day notice for residents to comment about the proposal.
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