2015-03 Helen Price-Johnson & Nancy Conard Letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy for the...
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Island County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 5000 Coupeville, Washington 98239-5000 Donald R. Schregardus Phone: From Camano: From S. Whidbey: Fax (360) 679-7354 (360) 629-4522 (360) 321-5111 (360) 679-7381 www.islandcounty.net Doception Pass WHIDBE ISLAND NASWhldbay Oak Harbor San de Fuca Se lane B SB Coupevi lle CAMANO ISLAl',ID Camano • Keyato e r eenbank Saratoga Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Environment 1000 Navy Pentagon Freeland Langley BaY.lew Room 4A674 Washington DC 20350 Maxwellon Dear Mr. Schregardus, Island County is a mostly rural county made up entirely of islands. We are a popular tourist destination and are proud to have an expanding small farm industry. Many come to experience our open spaces, rural character and beautiful shoreline views. It is often noted that Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NAS-WJ) located adjacent to the urban area of Oak Harbor is a significant presence in our county. As federal decisions are made which expand or contract the activity at NAS-WI it impacts our island communities dramatically. For this reason it Is important to recognize the need to strengthen diversified industries to help stabilize our local economy and job market. The Out-lying Field (OLF) of NAS-WI is located In Central Whidbey, (within District 1 of Island County) just outside the Town of Coupeville. We are two locally elected officials for this area. Tourism and agriculture are industries particularly important in the Central Whidbey area around the OLF. This historic farming community enjoys the distinction of being recognized by the National Park Service as Ebey's Historic Reserve. Much of the farmland has been preserved through the sale of development rights. This limits choices for land use available to the owners. The small, niche fa rmers here work closely with the soil and the community, and much of the field work is done by hand. Also over the past 20 years home based businesses have located in this area. The transition from Prowlers to Growler flights at OLF has had a significant impact to these local businesses. The Growler platform creates a reverberating sensation that is very different from the previous planes. The vibrations and noise are particularly intense when directly overhead and at low altitudes. This style of plane turns with a wider radius and so the flight pattern is over neighborhoods previously Jess affected. These planes are more reliable than the Prowlers so more planes fly continuously in a full rotation, also adding to the noise and vibrations experienced by the homes and businesses in the flight path. The economic impacts of 6120 annual Growler flights at OLF must be measured and understood at current conditions before additional flights are authorized at that location. It is important that data be collected to document the impacts of current Growler activity to the agricultural, recreational, and historic resources In the area State Parks and Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, which is an area of environmental, cultural, and historical significance and an important wildlife and migratory bird habitat. It is understood that the deployment of troops to respond to threats overseas are the primary factor in the number of "touch and go" training exercises at OLF. The safety of the pilots during training is vital, and so is the safety and health of community members living near the OLF. The potential negative health effects of low level EA-18 Growler aircraft during "touch and go" operations (rather than in higher altitude flight) must be established to protect public health in our community. Real time acoustic measurements more accurately Clinton .... "• "J-.
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The Out-lying Field (OLF) of NAS-WI is located In Central Whidbey, (within District 1 of Island County) justoutside the Town of Coupeville. We are two locally elected officials for this area. Tourism and agriculture areindustries particularly important in the Central Whidbey area around the OLF. This historic farmingcommunity enjoys the distinction of being recognized by the National Park Service as Ebey's Historic Reserve.Much of the farmland has been preserved through the sale of development rights. This limits choices for landuse available to the owners. The small, niche fa rmers here work closely with the soil and the community, andmuch of the field work is done by hand. Also over the past 20 years home based businesses have located inthis area.The transition from Prowlers to Growler flights at OLF has had a significant impact to these local businesses.The Growler platform creates a reverberating sensation that is very different from the previous planes. Thevibrations and noise are particularly intense when directly overhead and at low altitudes. This style of planeturns with a wider radius and so the flight pattern is over neighborhoods previously Jess affected. Theseplanes are more reliable than the Prowlers so more planes fly continuously in a full rotation, also adding tothe noise and vibrations experienced by the homes and businesses in the flight path. The economic impactsof 6120 annual Growler flights at OLF must be measured and understood at current conditions beforeadditional flights are authorized at that location. It is important that data be collected to document theimpacts of current Growler activity to the agricultural, recreational, and historic resources In the area StateParks and Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, which is an area of environmental, cultural, andhistorical significance and an important wildlife and migratory bird habitat.It is understood that the deployment of troops to respond to threats overseas are the primary factor in thenumber of "touch and go" training exercises at OLF. The safety of the pilots during training is vital, and so isthe safety and health of community members living near the OLF. The potential negative health effects of lowlevel EA-18 Growler aircraft during "touch and go" operations (rather than in higher altitude flight) must beestablished to protect public health in our community. Real time acoustic measurements more accurately reflect the safety hazards inherent to the OLF training activity for humans without adequate hearingprotection. Such a review should include potential sleep disruption, hearing damage, blood pressure andcardiac problems; The Navy should examine any added susceptibility for the medically fragile, senior citizensand chii'dr.en, as well as any potential harm to natural resources of water, air, soil and wildlife."-----------------------"Exclude weekly OLF use, when possible, from Friday-Sunday to allow local residents, farmers and visitors three days per week to schedule outdoor and indoor activities with more certainty. Emergency issues of national defense threats would supersede this policy."
Transcript of 2015-03 Helen Price-Johnson & Nancy Conard Letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy for the...
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Island County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 5000 Coupeville, Washington 98239-5000
Donald R. Schregardus
Phone: From Camano: From S. Whidbey: Fax
(360) 679-7354 (360) 629-4522 (360) 321-5111 (360) 679-7381
www.islandcounty.net
Doception Pass
WHIDBE ISLAND
NASWhldbay
Oak Harbor
San de Fuca
Se lane B SB
Coupeville CAMANO ISLAl',ID
Camano Keyato e
reenbank Saratoga
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Environment 1000 Navy Pentagon Freeland
Langley BaY.lew
Room 4A674 Washington DC 20350 Maxwellon
Dear Mr. Schregardus,
Island County is a mostly rural county made up entirely of islands. We are a popular tourist destination and are proud to have an expanding small farm industry. Many come to experience our open spaces, rural character and beautiful shoreline views. It is often noted that Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NAS-WJ) located adjacent to the urban area of Oak Harbor is a significant presence in our county. As federal decisions are made which expand or contract the activity at NAS-WI it impacts our island communities dramatically. For this reason it Is important to recognize the need to strengthen diversified industries to help stabilize our local economy and job market.
The Out-lying Field (OLF) of NAS-WI is located In Central Whidbey, (within District 1 of Island County) just outside the Town of Coupeville. We are two locally elected officials for this area. Tourism and agriculture are industries particularly important in the Central Whidbey area around the OLF. This historic farming community enjoys the distinction of being recognized by the National Park Service as Ebey's Historic Reserve. Much of the farmland has been preserved through the sale of development rights. This limits choices for land use available to the owners. The small, niche farmers here work closely with the soil and the community, and much of the field work is done by hand. Also over the past 20 years home based businesses have located in this area.
The transition from Prowlers to Growler flights at OLF has had a significant impact to these local businesses. The Growler platform creates a reverberating sensation that is very different from the previous planes. The vibrations and noise are particularly intense when directly overhead and at low altitudes. This style of plane turns with a wider radius and so the flight pattern is over neighborhoods previously Jess affected. These planes are more reliable than the Prowlers so more planes fly continuously in a full rotation, also adding to the noise and vibrations experienced by the homes and businesses in the flight path. The economic impacts of 6120 annual Growler flights at OLF must be measured and understood at current conditions before additional flights are authorized at that location. It is important that data be collected to document the impacts of current Growler activity to the agricultural, recreational, and historic resources In the area State Parks and Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, which is an area of environmental, cultural, and historical significance and an important wildlife and migratory bird habitat.
It is understood that the deployment of troops to respond to threats overseas are the primary factor in the number of "touch and go" training exercises at OLF. The safety of the pilots during training is vital, and so is the safety and health of community members living near the OLF. The potential negative health effects of low level EA-18 Growler aircraft during "touch and go" operations (rather than in higher altitude flight) must be established to protect public health in our community. Real time acoustic measurements more accurately
Clinton .... ""J-.
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reflect the safety hazards inherent to the OLF training activity for humans without adequate hearing protection. Such a review should include potential sleep disruption, hearing damage, blood pressure and cardiac problems; The Navy should examine any added susceptibility for the medically fragile, senior citizens and chii'dr.en, as well as any potential harm to natural resources of water, air, soil and wildlife.
The Navy is obliged to provide our island communities a full disclosure of the impacts of increased flight activity, sonar testing and electro-magnetic training in our region to best inform any operational decisions concerning balancing the uses of the two Whidbey fields and surrounding areas.
The transition from Prowlers to Growlers at OLF has already created significant impacts to the local community. Mitigation is needed now:
Modifications to the aircraft should be developed to reduce the increased reverberation and noise created by the Growlers.
Exclude weekly OLF use, when possible, from Friday-Sunday to allow local residents, farmers and visitors three days per week to schedule outdoor and indoor activities with more certainty. Emergency issues of national defense threats would supersede this policy.
Flight schedules at OLF should return to the historic patterns used with the Prowlers. The number of planes in a pattern should be limited to prevent "push out" over areas outside of the normal range. Also FCLP pattern~ should alternate to provide relief to neighborhoods on contiguous days of training.
Develop written training information for continuity during squadron transition with changes of command. This would minimize the fluctuations in conditions for the community with each transition to new leadership.
Use collected data to inform possible revisions to land use zoning, building code requirements and disclosure rules to reflect the new, higher levels of noise and reverberation; provide resources to retrofit existing structures or purchase of property/ compensation for residents impacted significantly by Growler flight operations.
Proper training is crucial for Navy pilots to appropriately prepare for deployment to aircraft carrier duty. Proper protection for the local community is equally fundamental. We welcome any opportunity to work with local, state and federal officials to mitigate current conditions to address the training requirements of the Navy while appropriately protecting the local community.
Helen Price Johnson Island County Commissioner, District 1
\..a: /J. 1/IA ,,/ /~~7 ~pt-~ {/
Nanc Conard Mayor, Town of Coupeville
