Q U I E T  S K I E S

** NEWS **

March 18, 2025: !!!  ACTION ALERT: Navy Amends the Growler EIS

This action was required of the Navy due to litigation. (For background, see the end of this post.) As part of the process of review for this draft, the Navy has only scheduled two in-person public meetings in Oak Harbor and Coupeville. They have allotted only 18 days to review the document before the first public meeting (after 3 years to do their update). The meetings are only scheduled for April 1 and 2, in Oak Harbor and Coupeville respectively, with an online version scheduled for April 3. The meetings will only respond to questions submitted in advance: deadline Friday, March 21. The draft document is at: https://www.nepa.navy.mil/Current-Projects/Aircraft-Home-Basing-Ship-Homeporting/Growler-Amended-Analysis/

This hurry-up process is not acceptable.  We need your help:  PLEASE MAKE CALLS IMMEDIATELY TO REPRESENTATIVES BELOW.

• Ask for a 1-month extension of the comment period (to May 28)

• Add Navy public meetings in Port Townsend & Lopez Island

WASHINGTON DC. CALL NUMBERS:

BOTH

Sen. Cantwell 202) 224-3441

Sen. Murray (202) 224-2621

YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

Rep. Larsen (202) 225-2605

Rep. Adam Smith (202) 225-8901

Rep Emily Randall (202) 225-5916

Rep. Kim Schrier 202) 225-7761

Rep. DelBene (202) 225-6311

Rep. Marilyn Strickland (202) 225-9740

 Note these Changes in the Amended EIS:

• Green House Gasses are higher

• Clarifies the analysis of impacts on birds

• Refines impacts on childhood learning

• Admits that some of the Growlers could be moved to another location, but they will not.

Experts from Sound Defense Alliance and COER will prepare talking points for comments to the Navy. We will forward them to you.

MORE BACKGROUND: November 22, 2025 Whidbey News Times: An article in the Whidbey News-Times: "Navy sets schedule for supplemental Growler study

The Navy expects to complete an analysis of an environmental study of Growlers at NASWI by February."  The article continues: 

"The litigation over Growler noise began in 2021, when the state Attorney General’s Office and COER sued the Navy over perceived deficiencies in the Environmental Impact Statement prepared to consider the impacts of additional Growlers and additional training. Much of the focus has been on the Outlying Field Coupeville, where training operations were set to increase fourfold.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones found that the EIS failed to quantify the impact of Growler noise on classroom learning; failed to disclose the basis for greenhouse gas emissions calculations; failed to take a hard look at species-specific impacts on birds; and failed to give detailed consideration of the idea of moving Growlers to El Centro, California."

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March 7, 2025: As noted below (March 3) we anticipate more jet noise in San Juan County.  What are the health impacts of such jet noise from Growlers? University of Washington Research team (School of Public Health and College of the Environment, consultants and advisers) issues its findings, Population health implications of exposure to pervasive military aircraft noise pollution, here:   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-024-00670-1

"Over 74,000 people within the area of aircraft noise exposure were at risk of adverse health effects. Of those exposed, substantial numbers were estimated to be highly annoyed and highly sleep disturbed, and several schools were exposed to levels that place them at risk of delay in childhood learning. Noise in some areas exceeded thresholds established by federal regulations for public health, residential land use and noise mitigation action...."

And you can find additional papers on the effects of noise:  https://www.nature.com/collections/geghcegefa

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March 3, 2025:  Runway Closures at Ault Field, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.  AFFECTING LOPEZ ISLAND.  Repairs to Runways 7/25 at Ault Field are scheduled from early March until November 2025.  During this closure aircraft will takeoff and land using the remaining runways (Runway 14/32) heading either Northwest or Southeast. This takeoff and landing approach will result in increased activity over eastern Oak Harbor, northern Camano Island, Anacortes, La Conner and Lopez Island.

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January 9, 2025:   A study published yesterday to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that living near airports can affect heart health, people exposed to airport noise experience changes to their heart structure and function, and that these changes can quadruple risk of heart attack or stroke - of course just adding to what we already knew from years of living under the Growler jets. Read more here:

https://www.healthday.com/health-news/environmental-health/airport-and-aircraft-noise-can-hurt-your-heart

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January 3, 2025:  Whidbey News Times:  "Appeals dropped in Growler noise lawsuit"   When the Navy started taking steps to dismiss the appeal — for reasons unknown to the plaintiffs — COER also agreed to drop the matter. Background: 

The litigation over Growler noise began in 2021, when the state Attorney General’s Office and COER sued the Navy over perceived deficiencies in the Environmental Impact Statement.... U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones found that the EIS failed to quantify the impact of Growler noise. ...Subsequently, the judge ordered the Navy to redo the EIS.... In August, Jones ruled that the Navy must submit status updates every 90 days until the May 1, 2025 deadline, although the Navy can request extensions.

 

November 28, 2024:  

An article in the Whidbey News-Times: "Navy sets schedule for supplemental Growler study

The Navy expects to complete an analysis of an environmental study of Growlers at NASWI by February."  The article continues: 

"The litigation over Growler noise began in 2021, when the state Attorney General’s Office and COER sued the Navy over perceived deficiencies in the Environmental Impact Statement prepared to consider the impacts of additional Growlers and additional training. Much of the focus has been on the Outlying Field Coupeville, where training operations were set to increase fourfold.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones found that the EIS failed to quantify the impact of Growler noise on classroom learning; failed to disclose the basis for greenhouse gas emissions calculations; failed to take a hard look at species-specific impacts on birds; and failed to give detailed consideration of the idea of moving Growlers to El Centro, California."

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There's more about lawsuits, Navy responses, the UW study on health impacts..... Go to News Archive...

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