The Niagara Falls Air Reserve station is preparing for possible furloughs if budget cuts triggered by government sequestration take effect.
Officials say about 280 civilian employees at the base could be impacted. Public Affairs Specialist Sgt. Kevin Nichols says the plan is to close the base one day per week, starting in late April, to limit the impact on operations.
"We can better plan if we were all off on, let's say, a Monday. The schedule can be built around that," Nichols said.
The furloughs would result in a 20 percent cut in pay for the civilian employees. Nichols says the base commander met with members of the 914th Airlift Wing Wednesday to talk about the furloughs that could start next month.
"This town hall meeting that was held by wing leadership was just to prepare our folks in the event this does take effect in late April," Nichols said.
The plan is to close the base on Mondays through the fiscal year, but base security and emergency services will be maintained.
Sequestration is a package of mandated cuts to the federal budget.
The Niagara Falls base is home to the 914th Airlift Wing and the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing.