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Save the Olympic Peninsula has submitted comments on the latest draft environmental impact statement related to the Navy's training and testing activities over the Olympic Peninsula.
STOP's comments mostly address the noise impacts of Growler EA-18G jets flying over the Olympic Peninsula. STOP has found, using the Navy's own information, that the Navy's previous noise analysis was, and its new noise analysis is, based on significantly understated numbers of jet flights. This, of course, significantly understates the noise impacts of the Navy's activities.
Furthermore, the Navy continues to ignore the noise impacts of its aircraft on large portions of the area between Whidbey Island and the Pacific Ocean, including Olympic National Park, Dungeness Wildlife Refuge, Protection Island, the City of Port Townsend and large portions of the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea.
STOP encourages all of you to address your concerns regarding this situation to your local, state and federal elected officials. Those officials must be educated on the need for them to help save the Olympic Peninsula from the damage the Navy continues to do.
Go to STOP's letter to the Navy here.
Oppose Military Exercises in
Washington State Parks!
Tell the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to not renew the military's permit to access our public parks!
In 2015 the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission issued a 5-year permit allowing the U.S. Navy to occupy five Washington State Parks for “Naval training exercises”. The current permit expires on April 30, 2020. The permitting process is moving fast and with little notice to the public.
The Navy issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and is seeking to renew the permit to increase its scope and geography to include:
• Expanding the number of state parks from 5 to 29 [total sites the Navy seeks to occupy are 68 scattered all over Washington’s west coastal areas – not addressed here but also of public concern].
• 72-hour occupation per visit, 8 visits per year at each park.
• Camping outside of designated campsites and hidden in foliage where visitors might stumble upon camouflaged personnel.
• Up to 74 trainees and 148 advisers conducting simulated actions against threats, with the use of weapons that contain paint ball plastic capsules vs. live-fire ammunition.
• Delivery of military personnel either by submersible craft or land vehicle – coming onto the beach, sneaking undetected to vegetation above the high-water mark and hiding for several hours to observe park visitors.
While we honor our service men and women and support adequate training, we believe military operations and clandestine exercises impacting unsuspecting civilians is contrary to the Washington State Parks’ rules, goals and mission.
Our state parks are visited by millions of residents and tourists each year and are a huge economic stimulus to local business. If these public recreational spaces become military training grounds the businesses that rely on those visitors will very likely be damaged.
We must demand a full Environmental Impact Study (EIS); broad public notice and engagement; and a full cost and benefit analysis before any permitting is pursued.
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Upcoming Meetings
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Public comment period
during the first half of the meetings or as designated by Chair
March 12 – Campbell’s Resort in Chelan - speak during the agenda item regarding the Navy's plans as part of the staff report and general briefing on the Navy’s request
May 7 - Ft. Worden in Port Townsend - speak prior to Commission’s delivery of the decision on allowing military Navy SEAL training in State Parks
Check out these documents for additional information.
Finding of No Significant Impact
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Growler Graffiti over Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park, August 20, 2019
PHOTO BY SKI
Hear Our Olympics from NPCA on Vimeo.
“The logic is simple; if a loud noise, such as the passing of an aircraft, can impact many square miles, then a natural place, if maintained in a 100 percent noise-free condition, will also impact many square miles around it.”
The Quietest Place in America is Becoming a War Zone.
