The Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard has filed a lawsuit against Maricopa County, and the county has counter-filed, taking issue with the state’s right to prevent development around Luke Air Force Base and nearby auxiliary field in Gila Bend, reports the Phoenix Business Journal. As one means to help keep Luke and other Arizona military installations off the BRAC 2005 hit list, the state required land-use plans that would prohibit private development around the installations. Maricopa has flouted that law for four years, according to an Arizona Republic op-ed. The article states: “From Peoria to Goodyear, they changed their general plans and zoning to protect Luke. Maricopa County hasn’t.”
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
