Despite President Donald Trump’s criticism and pledges to scale back Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter program, the Vermont Air National Guard is still slated to receive the jets in 2019.
This week, the Burlington Free Press reported that the members of Vermont’s Congressional delegation said the Department of Defense’s review of the F-35 program would not stop the jets from being based in Vermont.
However, that decision remains controversial, as many people living near the airport in Burlington, South Burlington and neighboring Winooski say they're worried about the F-35 jets and the effect their presence will have on property values.
In South Burlington, residents are especially dismayed that the Federal Aviation Administration hasn't provided sound maps with information on the projected noise impact to surrounding neighborhoods.
VPR spoke to Nicole Higgins DeSmet, a reporter at the Burlington Free Press, about the recent developments in this story.
Listen to the full interview above.
