Narrative:

This problem was brought to your attention over a yr ago and is still ongoing. A golf driving range with high intensity lights was built approximately 1 NM north of the approach end of runway 15 left, well over a yr ago. Runway 15L is our primary instrument runway with a catiii ILS. This runway is also our primary landing runway in VFR conditions because of our traffic flow and wind conditions as well as ease of access to all ramps upon exiting. The FAA has deemed the high intensity lights a 'hazard to aviation' and therefore every evening we are forced to close runway 15L to all landing aircraft. This airport, and the FAA, as well as the flying public, is being held hostage by a golf course which was only recently built. As usual the FAA is afraid to make a decision in this matter and continues to situation on their butt and hope the problem will just go away. 'It won't!' myself as well as the other controllers and management. Here at jan feel that this situation could very well become a safety problem if we need runway 15L and it's unusable because of these lights. It's time that the FAA stand up and admit that they screwed up when they approved this type of an operation in the first place. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated flight check declared this a hazard to aviation and told the golf driving range to shield the lights. This was done but is still a hazard. Reporter has filed a ucr. FAA regional office has received a congressional inquiry.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOLF DRIVING RANGE LIGHTS HAZARD TO AVIATION ACFT ON APCH.

Narrative: THIS PROB WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTN OVER A YR AGO AND IS STILL ONGOING. A GOLF DRIVING RANGE WITH HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS WAS BUILT APPROX 1 NM N OF THE APCH END OF RWY 15 L, WELL OVER A YR AGO. RWY 15L IS OUR PRIMARY INST RWY WITH A CATIII ILS. THIS RWY IS ALSO OUR PRIMARY LNDG RWY IN VFR CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF OUR TFC FLOW AND WIND CONDITIONS AS WELL AS EASE OF ACCESS TO ALL RAMPS UPON EXITING. THE FAA HAS DEEMED THE HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS A 'HAZARD TO AVIATION' AND THEREFORE EVERY EVENING WE ARE FORCED TO CLOSE RWY 15L TO ALL LNDG ACFT. THIS ARPT, AND THE FAA, AS WELL AS THE FLYING PUBLIC, IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY A GOLF COURSE WHICH WAS ONLY RECENTLY BUILT. AS USUAL THE FAA IS AFRAID TO MAKE A DECISION IN THIS MATTER AND CONTINUES TO SIT ON THEIR BUTT AND HOPE THE PROB WILL JUST GO AWAY. 'IT WON'T!' MYSELF AS WELL AS THE OTHER CTLRS AND MGMNT. HERE AT JAN FEEL THAT THIS SIT COULD VERY WELL BECOME A SAFETY PROB IF WE NEED RWY 15L AND IT'S UNUSABLE BECAUSE OF THESE LIGHTS. IT'S TIME THAT THE FAA STAND UP AND ADMIT THAT THEY SCREWED UP WHEN THEY APPROVED THIS TYPE OF AN OP IN THE FIRST PLACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED FLT CHK DECLARED THIS A HAZARD TO AVIATION AND TOLD THE GOLF DRIVING RANGE TO SHIELD THE LIGHTS. THIS WAS DONE BUT IS STILL A HAZARD. RPTR HAS FILED A UCR. FAA REGIONAL OFFICE HAS RECEIVED A CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.