Still another group comes out against the illegal NEPA shenanigans of the navy

WA State Democrats 24th LD

24th LD Opposes Navy Warfare Range Plan
Posted on February 3, 2015 by admin
Fair Public Process Needed for Pacific Northwest Electronic Warfare Range Plan

WHEREAS , the U. S. Navy has submitted an application to the Forest Service for a permit allowing use of Forest Service roads for its proposed Pacific Northwest Electronic Warfare Range (EWR); and

WHEREAS , the proposed EWR covers large areas of Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest, and Tribal and private land in western Clallam, Jefferson, and Grays Harbor Counties; and

WHEREAS both the Navy and the Forest Service are required by the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to prepare environmental evaluations of the proposed project; and to inform and consult with the public about the proposed project by providing the affected communities with notice of the project and the opportunity to make a public record of their concerns, and

WHEREAS the Navy has prepared, and the Forest Service is using, for their environmental evaluations of the proposed project a multitude of incomplete, confusing, incorrect, and voluminous documents, including the Pacific Northwest Electronic Warfare Range Environmental Assessment (EA), the Northwest Training Range Complex EIS, and the Northwest Training and Testing Draft EIS. In addition, the Navy has prepared a Supplement to the Northwest Training and Testing Draft EIS, and is preparing to draft another EIS on the proposed addition of 36 more EA-18G Growler aircraft to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, and

WHEREAS the Navy has unreasonably limited the scope of the EA, and public comment on the proposed EWR, to essentially a consideration of the impacts of the proposed EWR on the Forest Service roads; and

WHEREAS the public was given insufficient notice and insufficient time to comment on the proposed project. No notice was published in any newspaper, including the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette or Forks Forum, directly serving a community directly affected by the project as required by NEPA

WHEREAS the National Forest Service Management Act and Forest Plan require the

Forest Service not to give greater priority to the needs or demands of any outside

agency than to its responsibility to the public; and

WHEREAS the Forest Service has not independently verified statements in the Navy‘s Environmental Assessment (EA), as required by law; and has not justified its reasons for a Finding of No Significant Impacts on the environment; and

WHEREAS Citizens residing in the affected Counties, and throughout the US, as demonstrated by the well-attended informational meetings and over 3,000 public comments during the extended comment period, have multiple and grave concerns about Electronic Warfare Range project including, but not limited to, noise pollution from the Growler and other aircraft using the EWR, training with Growler aircraft using electronic attack weapons, health effects on wildlife and humans, economic effects on the local economy, and the environmental impacts; and

WHEREAS it appears that the Navy and the Forest Service have not adequately performed their responsibilities under NEPA, and their responsibilities to inform and receive official comment from the public on the full range of impacts of the proposed Electronic Warfare Range;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 24th Legislative District Democrats call upon our elected representatives at all levels to use all their authority to effect the following:

1. Suspend any previous approval of the proposed EWR by the US Navy and the US Forest Service;

2. Publish any notice of future public comment periods in newspapers with wide-circulation in Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Island, San Juan, and other counties adversely affected by the proposed EWR;

3. Schedule public hearings as required by NEPA throughout the affected counties so that the public may have the opportunity to refute any information provided in the NEPA documents;

4. That neither the US Navy nor the US Forest Service take any further action on the proposed EWR until a current and complete Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared by an independent third party covering the whole range of possible impacts of the proposed EWR, and of all the aircraft using the EWR, including impacts to the areas under the flight paths to and from the EWR, and including impacts from both Electronic Surveillance and Electronic Attack training.

Presented by Ron Richards to the 24th Legislative District Democrats.

Passed on January 10,2015

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24TH LD DEMOCRATS
Connie Gallant, chair
24th LD Democrats · Jefferson Democrats · Clallam Democrats · Grays Harbor Democrats · WA State Democrats