Olympic Peninsula US Navy War Games – Update (make Comments until Feb.24, 2017)

Navy extends comment period to February 24

Due to numerous citizen requests for more time to analyze the Navy’s 1400-page Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the proposed addition of 36 more Growler aircraft at NAS Whidbey Island, the Navy has extended the comment period to February 24.

The DEIS calls for an increase in the number of air field operations at Whidbey’s Ault Field of up to 38,700 each year. It is not immediately clear how many of these activities will be operating over the Electronic Warfare Range, where the Navy has previously promised an increase of only 10% over its historical level of 1250 flights per year. Click here to

submit your comments.

More Navy warfare activities planned

On January 20 the Navy presented an update on the status of NWTT Phase II Environmental Impact Statement and monitoring program, along with advance information on NWTT Phase III EIS project to the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council in Port Angeles.

John Mosher/ U.S. Navy; Jackie Queen/ USN; Andrea Balla-Holden/ USN; Naval Undersea Warfare Center/ USN provided outreach materials that referred to large increases in Navy activities as “mission adjustments”, which include another EIS for the NWTT, with scoping starting this summer. In the time between 2016 and 2018, at least 34 Navy FONSIs and RODs are scheduled in the Puget Sound-coastal Washington region alone.

During the public comment period STOP’s representative stressed that the Navy’s “averaging” model for noise pollution would underestimate the jet noise and its effect on marine wildlife and the Marbled Murrelet; and the increased fuel consumption (from more Growler jets) would exacerbate climate change.

Pacific Northwest Coast Alliance Update

On January 20 representatives of Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve, Quiet Skies Coalition, Save The Olympic Peninsula, Protect The Peninsula’s Future, Olympic Environmental Council, Friends of The San Juans, and the Marrowstone Island Committee met to share the concerns of their constituencies about the Navy’s ongoing expansion of military training in the region.

The Alliance expects to pursue a number of initiatives to raise public awareness of the value of preserving the incomparable recreational environment provided by communities on the Northwest Washington Coast. Stay tuned for opportunities to participate in the months ahead!