6 more West Virginia counties raise concerns over Radio Quiet Zone restrictions

Editor’s note: This story has since been updated with a statement from the director of the Green Bank Observatory.

FRANKLIN, W.Va. (WBOY) — After Pendleton County’s resolution to oppose the restrictions of the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), six more counties in West Virginia have taken up the same resolution.

According to a press release from the Pendleton County Office of Emergency Management, the following counties have now formally voiced their concerns about the NRQZ and how its limitations on radio communications hamper emergency responders in the area:

• Pendleton
• Barbour
• Pocahontas
• Randolph
• Tucker
• Upshur
• Webster

“First responder agencies within Pendleton and surrounding counties, along with mutual aid partners from neighboring areas, are facing increasing difficulties in maintaining clear and reliable radio communications,” the release said. “These communications are critical for the collaboration necessary to ensure public safety throughout the region.”

Rick Gillespie, the Emergency Coordinator for Pendleton County, previously told Nexstar’s WBOY that a big problem for first responders in the area is a requirement to use Very High Frequency (VHF) radio bands instead of their usual Ultra High Frequency (UHF) bands. Gillespie said that although some exceptions have been made, a majority of their equipment, and much of the equipment used by emergency responders statewide, still use Ultra-High Frequencies.

“We need federal support to secure workable frequencies and fund our transition if a move to VHF is desired,” Gillespie said in the release.

The more than 10,000 square mile quiet zone was established in 1958 to reduce radio interference that can affect sensitive communication sites like the National Security Agency (NSA) Sugar Grove station and the Green Bank Observatory (GBO). However, county officials believe that the restrictions imposed by the zone have not kept up with modern communication needs.

The Green Bank Observatory has come to agreements with other counties in the past, and its director, Jim Jackson, said in a statement to 12 News that it will continue to work towards solutions going forward.

“The Green Bank Observatory and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory have granted numerous exemptions of National Radio Quiet Zone restrictions to help facilitate our local communities’ access to emergency communications,” Jackson said. “Our government partners have funded studies to help solve these problems.  We are eager to continue our work with our communities to find workable solutions.”

Although the seven counties are not looking for Sugar Grove and the GBO to be shut down, they do want more federal help when it comes to securing the money needed to stay within the limits of the National Radio Quiet Zone while still being able to effectively communicate with emergency departments.

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