Saturday, September 7, 2013 • The South Whidbey Record
WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM
Page A3
Navy to conduct environmental study on jet noise By JANIS REID South Whidbey Record The Navy said this week it will conduct an Environmental Impact Statement for Outlying Field Coupeville and Whidbey Island Naval Air Station on North Whidbey. While the Navy said in a statement that EIS plans were in the works for some time, members of a Coupevillebased citizen group claim the decision is the result of a federal lawsuit they filed in July against the Navy. The group — Citizens of the Ebey’s Reserve for a Healthy, Safe and Peaceful Environment, or COER — hoped the lawsuit would compel the Navy to suspend training operations at OLF and result in a study. The Navy suspended operations at OLF in June though the end of 2013. Though the demands of the lawsuit have apparently been met by the Navy, the group’s attorney, David Mann, said they don’t intend to dismiss their lawsuit just yet. Mann expressed concerns with some of the language in the Navy’s notice of intent, which he suspects indicate that they will be using the most current noise levels as the baseline from which they will do their study. “What they looked at in 2005 was wrong,” Mann said. “They have to address the existing and additional noise impacts. We are going to wait until we see the scope of what the Navy’s going to do.” Nevertheless, Mann said, “members of COER are of course ecstatic that the Navy
has finally conceded that a Replacement Squadron, complete environmental the two expeditionary VAQ analysis is necessary. It is squadrons are land-based unfortunate that it required squadrons, and therefore are that we file not required federal litito complete touch-and-go gation to get training. the Navy’s T h r e e attention, open houses but we are on the EIS pleased David Mann are scheduled that we proattorney for Citizens of the Ebey’s vided the Reserve for a Healthy, Safe and as follows: 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, necessar y Peaceful Environment Dec. 3 at catalyst for Coupeville action.” High School; Navy representatives said the EIS is 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4 part of ongoing Department at Oak Harbor High School of Defense strategies and that and 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 conducting an EIS is routine at Anacortes Middle School. “The scoping process will when new squadrons are be used to identify commuintroduced to a Navy base. The EIS will evaluate the nity concerns and local issues potential environmental to be addressed in the EIS,” effects associated with ongo- the notice states. “Federal ing EA-18G Growler airfield agencies, state agencies, local operations at NAS Whidbey agencies, Native American Island’s Ault Field and OLF, Indian Tribes and Nations, including the proposed intro- the public and interested duction of two additional persons are encouraged to expeditionary Electronic provide comments to the Attack (VAQ) squadrons and Department of the Navy to the addition of three aircraft identify specific issues or topto the Fleet Replacement ics of environmental concern Squadron (FRS). that the commenter believes Unlike the addition of the DON should consider.” three Growlers to the Fleet The DON said environ-
“What they looked at in 2005 was wrong.”
mental analyses were completed in 2005 and 2012 when the base was looking at replacing the EA-6B Prowler with the new Growler, and that the studies are part of an ongoing effort to evaluate and expand the base. According to the notice, the Navy is looking at continuing and increasing the existing airfield, adding two new expeditionary VAQ squadrons and three aircraft assigned to the
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replacement squadron. It also intends to look at constructing and renovating facilities at Ault Field over a three-year period and stationing an additional 860 personnel and their families. Ken Pickard, president of the Coupeville citizens group, said in a released statement that things appear to be “going well” and that both the suspension of operations at OLF and the EIS are a prod-
uct of the group’s lawsuit. “Interestingly, immediately after getting sued the Navy suspended all flights at OLF Coupeville through the end of 2013,” Pickard said. “So, they have not flown here since May and what a blessing it has been, our homes are habitable, our gardens able to be visited and worked in and all are so thankful to have this break and enjoy our homes and National Park here.”
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