By Cali Bagby
Island’s Weekly Editor
“Honk if you like quiet skies” was written in bright letters and posted outside of the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts, where the Navy held its first-ever scoping meeting on Lopez Dec. 3.
Just a few feet down the road, dressed in down jackets, fleece gloves and hats, Stanley and Kip Greenthal pass out blue papers labeled Growler EIS Scoping Meeting.
”This is our chance to show the Navy that we are impacted and do not want an escalation of noise and over flights from more Growlers,” the flyer said. “Our attendance will show that that we are not wiling to give up our quality of life and become collateral damage.”
The noise from thousands of engine tests and training runs by new EA 18G Growlers and other planes at Naval Air Station Whidbey and Outlying Landing Field Coupeville has generated outcry this year, mainly on Lopez. At a meeting held by Rep. Rick Larsen in early October, Lopezians asked the Navy to come to Lopez to discuss noise pollution from the aircraft.
Inside the community center, 25 representatives for the Navy have answered those request and speak with islanders at different booths labeled public involvement, Growler operations and aircraft noise.There are also about five police officers standing around the room. The Navy always has some type of law enforcement at its meetings, according to Navy Public Affairs Officer Ted Brown.
More growlers?
County Councilman Jamie Stephens said the Navy’s visit to Lopez is thanks to Rep. Rick Larsen push for the event.
“I think this is progress,” said Stephens, watching as Lopezians approach the various booths. “The number of people that have showed up is impressive.”
The meeting coincides with Larsen’s Dec. 4 vote to allow purchase of five additional A-18G Growlers. This brings the total number of Growlers that Congress will purchase from 135 to 140.
“Congress’ decision to buy five more Growlers indicates the planes’ importance to our national defense in this age of new technology, and continues to underscore the national commitment to maintaining Naval Air Station Whidbey Island as one of our country’s preeminent Navy bases,” Larsen said in a recent press release. “I want to be clear this does not mean NASWI will automatically house five more Growlers. The number of Growlers at NASWI will be determined by the ongoing Environmental Impact Study, which has provided multiple opportunities for public input.”
Currently, there are 82 Growlers flying out of NASWI, and 12 used as backup.
The noise
Over the last several months the San Juan County Council collected data from islanders on a jet-noise-complaint website and sent that information to Navy officials and Larsen.The website received 871 reports, mostly concentrated on the south end of Lopez. Two hundred and eighteen of those reports came from 6 a.m. to noon and 224 came after 9 p.m. The data also shows that 150 people reported a low rumble and 240 reported extremely loud noise.
Stephens hopes the meeting on Lopez is a step closer to mitigate the noise pollution. He hopes the Navy will implement “Hush Houses” to reroute the noise from the revving of engines upward, thus creating less sound pollution, and erect structures at the end of the runway that are commonly used at commercial airports and that push noise upwards as well.
At the Aircraft Noise booth there is sign explaining that a noise study will be conducted as part of the EIS and will evaluate sleep disturbance, indoor speech interference and classroom listening interference. Stephens hopes the Navy will test noise levels on Lopez that are equivalent to what people are actually hearing. He is concerned the Growlers are causing problems both on land and sea.“The noise is affecting us so it has to be affecting marine life,” said Stephens.
The scoping process
The highlight of the meeting for Stephens is that the Navy has extended the scoping process, allowing people to add official comments. Islanders could have a stenographer record their comment or write it down themselves. People also have until Jan. 9 to submit their comments online at www.whidbeyeis.com or by mail to EA-18G Growler EIS Project Manager, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23508 Attn: Code EV21/SS.