Advocacy from the Motorized Community Made a Difference 

In a major development for the off-road community, the U.S. Marine Corps has made meaningful improvements to a proposed permanent Special Use Airspace (SUA) establishment at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center - Twentynine Palms, located near Johnson Valley, California, home of the iconic King of the Hammers event.

Thousands of advocates, including more than 1,500 advocates organized by SEMA and ORBA, contacted the Marine Corps to request changes to their August 2025 proposal through the organizations' calls to action.

In its Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for airspace changes at Twentynine Palms and surrounding areas, the Marine Corps incorporated several important safeguards, including minimum flight altitude requirements, limits on airspace use and commitments regarding event coordination. The final policy remains subject to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval.

SEMA and ORBA thank the Marine Corps for listening to the off-road community's concerns that the draft EA threatened access at Johnson Valley. The final EA is a step in the right direction and recognizes the importance of motorized recreation and King of the Hammers to the local communities surrounding Johnson Valley.

Key Improvements in the Final Environmental Assessment

The final EA includes several important safeguards that represent tangible progress from the draft proposal:

• Minimum Flight Altitude: A 1,500-ft. above-ground-level minimum altitude will apply when the Johnson Valley Shared Use Area is open to the public.
• Limits on Airspace Use: The USMC will be able to use the airspace for up to 60 days per year.
• Event Coordination Commitments: The EA specifically recognizes King of the Hammers and commits to coordinating with event organizers on altitude requirements to ensure major events can continue to operate successfully.

Advocacy and Collaboration Leads to Improved Policy

After the Marine Corps released its draft EA in August 2025, SEMA, ORBA and numerous other off-road stakeholder groups rallied members and the broader motorized-recreation community to push back against the proposed airspace restrictions above Johnson Valley. Advocates expressed concerns regarding how the initial proposal would have impacted medevac, drone footage and other necessary uses of Johnson Valley's airspace, including during the King of the Hammers event, along with concerns about the EA's impact on access and safety. This was a win for outdoor recreation, proving that when our community speaks up with a unified voice, we make a meaningful impact.

What This Means Going Forward

The EA for Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms remains subject to final approval by the FAA. SEMA and ORBA will provide updates as they emerge.

Questions? Contact SEMA Senior Manager for Federal Government Affairs Juan Mejia at juanm@sema.org.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock | Brattain productions