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| -Land of the Free | |
| Washington state sues Navy over expanded operations on Whidbey Island | |
| 2019-07-11 | |
| [NavyTimes] SEATTLE ‐ Washington state sued the Navy on Tuesday over its expansion of jet operations on an island north of Seattle, saying officials failed to adequately consider the effect that additional noisy flights would have on people or wildlife. "The Navy has an important job, and it's critical that their pilots and crews have the opportunity to train," Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a news release announcing the lawsuit. "That does not relieve the federal government of its obligation to follow the law and avoid unnecessary harm to our health and natural resources." The Navy's public affairs office said it does not comment on litigation. The Navy in March authorized the expansion of its Growler program by up to three dozen jets, adding to the 82 already based on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle. The low-flying jets conduct electronic warfare to jam enemy communications and launch systems, and under the expansion plans crews would perform around 100,000 takeoffs and landings a year for the next three decades. That, Ferguson said, could have serious effects on nearby residents. The state Health Department has outlined how exposure to noise levels similar to those at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island could disrupt children's learning and cause sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment and cardiovascular disease. It could also disrupt the feeding and breeding of eagles and marbled murrelets, a type of seabird. In the news release, Quinault Indian Nation President Fawn Sharp called on the federal government to strike a balance between national security and environmental preservation. "Unregulated, unrestrained noise pollution from increased military training operations presents a clear threat to the health and solitude of our state's fragile ecosystems, treaty protected resources and endangered species," she said. In its decision to approve the expansion plan, the Navy said the number of flights on the island would be comparable to those that occurred from the 1970s through the 1990s. It also said it would continue to invest in technologies to reduce engine and aircraft noise. The state's lawsuit alleges violations of the National Environmental Protection Act and the federal Administrative Procedure Act. Ferguson said he intended to add claims under the Endangered Species Act. The National Parks Conservation Association said it supports the lawsuit, noting that the flights could also affect Ebey's Landing, a historical preserve on Whidbey Island, and Olympic National Park. The association recently filed a lawsuit accusing the Navy of withholding information about noise pollution from the jets over Olympic National Park. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer wrote a letter in March to the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, rebuffing its call for additional noise monitoring and tracking of the effect on tourism. He said the Navy had already performed noise monitoring and noted it was spending $876,000 to refurbish a home at Ebey Landing built in 1860.
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| Posted by:746 |
| #7 no one in Tacoma/Lakewood complains........ except a few c--t brits, but we told em thats the "sound of freedom" and F--k their dogs |
| Posted by: 746 2019-07-11 22:47 |
| #6 ☺ Pleasure's all mine. |
| Posted by: Dron66046 2019-07-11 18:25 |
| #5 Laughing again, thank you. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2019-07-11 18:11 |
| #4 increased military training operations ... threat to the health... state's fragile ecosystems... endangered species, breeding of eagles and marbled murrelets Also at risk are the double-breasted gerrymanderer (a type of bird with blue feathers that hates red caps and clean, open areas), giant Beltway turkeys and rare coattailed migrant cockatrice (beast of foreign origin, it's mating call has great appeal with certain humans). |
| Posted by: Dron66046 2019-07-11 13:48 |
| #3 Reminds me of my ENDANGERED BLACK-FOOTED SNAIL story. Engaging! |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2019-07-11 12:46 |
| #2 Of course, it's nothing an abundant honorarium couldn't resolve. |
| Posted by: Cesare 2019-07-11 08:11 |
| #1 The sound of freedom. I actually enjoy hearing/seeing the A-10's returning from training to Davis-Monthan AFB in the evening. |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2019-07-11 01:58 |