Date extended for comment on ‘Growler’ environmental review

Published 5:00 am Thursday, January 23, 2014

Responding to a letter from San Juan County Councilman Jamie Stevens asking for a 60-day extension of the Environment Impact Statement concerning the addition of 13 “Growlers” to the EA-18 electronic warfare fleet, the Navy last week announced it would extend the scoping period for comments until Friday, Jan. 30.

The Navy announcement said the extension was made “[i]n response to public and elected official requests, and in order to ensure all surrounding communities have ample opportunity to provide input.”

Stephens’ letter pointed out that the San Juan Islands are only 6.5 nautical miles from the NAS Whidbey runways, closer than either Anacortes or Coupeville, both of which were chosen by the Navy for EIS scoping meetings.

Stephens asked for a local scoping meeting in the San Juans, but Ted Brown, Public Affairs spokesman for the Navy’s Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Va., said the time extension was for comments only and would not include additional public meetings to the three already held.

Public comments should be sent to: EA-18G EIS Project Manager, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23508, or to the project website, www.whidbeyeis.com.