Q U I E T S K I E S
Over San Juan County
To report jet noise that is bothering you, go to San Juan County's jet aircraft noise reporting website:
You can enter:
* date
* time
* type of loudness
* location
* comments
Tips for data entry are below. However, if you have trouble with the noise website, please contact:
QuietSkiesSanJuan@gmail.com
The data accumulated by this San Juan County aircraft noise reporting system is forwarded to our region's elected officials and to the Navy at NAS Whidbey. The goal for both the Navy and the elected officials is to gain an understanding of which operations are creating the extreme noise and how the noise may be mitigated and may influence noise studies.
Residents of this region and visitors are encouraged to use this site whenever they are bothered by the noise. If we don't report the noise, the Navy and and elected persons assume we have no noise. In addition, interested citizens from any area can report jet aircraft noise complaints directly to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island by phone at (360) 257-6665, or via e-mail addressed to: comments@navy.mil
If you are in crisis, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-273-8255. Press 1 for the Veterans Helpline.
For Mental Health assistance in Island, Skagit, San Juan and Whatcom Counties call
1-800-584-3578. For Clallam and Jefferson Counties call 1-888-910-0416. You can also text a crisis counselor by messaging the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Go to the following address on your computer or smartphone.
https://gis.sanjuancountywa.gov/aircraft-noise-reporting
You will see data entry boxes. Scroll down as you fill each box.
DATE: If the date is correct for the day of the noise event you wish to report, do NOT click on that box. If you are reporting a noise incident for a different earlier day, click in the box. A calendar will pop up and you can click on the correct date.
TIME: If the time is correct for the noise event you wish to report, do NOT click on that box, it should show the time right now. If you are reporting a noise incident at a time that is different than the one that is showing, use its little drop down menu and enter the correct time. Entering the correct time will depend on the device (laptop, tablet or smartphone), its operating system and settings you have made. It’s likely to be the same as for other apps or programs. For example, to change from the current time you may need to select a field and enter the numbers, scroll with the mouse or touchscreen or change the hands on a clock. REMEMBER to note AM or PM by clicking an up or down arrow. The time of the noise incident is important to us.
LOUDNESS: Click on what the loudness level is: Low Rumble, Rumble and Vibration, Disrupted Activities, or Extremely Loud.
LOCATION: You have three choices to indicate where you heard the noise. 1) For many of us, we are reporting noise while at the location where we have been bothered by the noise. The map has a blue marker that automatically centers itself on Shaw Island, but few of us are there. So for a quick way to get to your location, see the icon on the left o (a little compass circle) and click on it; it will move the blue marker to your current location. 2) Or, you can enter your address, the place where you might have heard the noise. 3) Or, if you are reporting a noise incident, but are currently at a location different than where you heard the noise, you can put your cursor on the map (not on the blue marker) and move the map around until the blue marker is on the location where you heard the noise. You can change the size of the map by using the + or - signs on the left. Please be aware that the location of the noise is important data for us. Once you have set the location, simply scroll down to the next box, Comments.
IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY MOVING THE BLUE LOCATION MARKER, it would be very helpful if you would enter your zip code, or even better, in the Comments section, briefly write the town or area in which you heard the noise. (We do not need your exact address.)
COMMENTS: Describe what you heard, where you heard it, and/or why it bothered you. You might enter time and date in order to make a point. This section is up to you! We do send a copy of all comments to elected officials. Your comments put a human face on this issue. (By the way, we do not need your street address, just the city or town.)
Scroll down, and click SUBMIT.
If you want to submit another noise incident after this one, click on "Return to Main Screen", and a new set of boxes will pop up.
We are often asked WHAT to submit WHEN the noise seems constant. Some people will submit a noise report each time they hear the noise, sometimes adding up to 10-50 noise reports per day! Others will accumulate the "noises" and submit one report, such as "May 25: Loud jets overhead South Lopez at 9:30am, 9:50am, 10:15am". Others may say: "Bothered by jet noise on Orcas Island all evening." Others keep a daily log and then enter each noise report in the evening when they have time. The point is: Be honest in reporting noise events, be as descriptive as you can, do what you can. In general, reporting each noise incident separately makes the data more accurate.