The United States (U.S.) Naval Special Warfare Command has requested a real property agreement from Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission to conduct special operations training in twenty-eight state parks throughout western Washington. This MDNS is available at http://bit.ly/ParksSEPA
This MDNS is issued pursuant to 197-11 -340(2), State Parks will not act on this proposal until the comment period has ended. Comments must be submitted by January 22. 2021 at 5pm, or they may not be considered. Any person wishing to comment should submit written comments to: http://bit.ly/ParksSEPA
For questions please contact:
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Jessica Logan, Environmental Program Manager
PO Box 42650, Olympia WA 98504-2650
Phone: (360) 902-8679
Email: SEPA@parks.wa.gov
TDD: Washington Relay Service 711 or (800) 833-6388.
COMMENT BY January 22nd at 5pm
The public may provide comment to the Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission using the online comment form or by email for those who would like to provide attachments with their comments.
- CLICK HERE FOR THE ONLINE COMMENT FORM
- CLICK HERE TO EMAIL COMMENTS WITH ATTACHMENTS
- To provide verbal comment, you may participate in the upcoming, January 26, virtual public meeting Please visit: https://parks.state.wa.us/
1168/Navy-proposal for information on how to register to provide verbal comment and additional information on this proposal.
SAMPLE COMMENT LETTER
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Jessica Logan, Environmental Program Manager
via website: http://bit.ly/ParksSEPA
via email: SEPA@parks.wa.gov
via virtual public meeting: https://parks.state.wa.us/
RE: Naval special operations Training SEPA
Dear Ms. Logan and Commissioners:
I/We use our state parks. This permit request must be rejected.
The Navy’s plan is to use our parks, instead of their own military reservations, in order to use civilians as props. This is completely unacceptable. Our state parks are for peaceful civilian use and are essential for public health, especially now with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our parks must remain civilian. The Navy has no real need to usa our state parks, and certainly does not need to use our civilians as pat of their training. Any insertion of commandos into enemy territory would likely face enemy soldiers on alert, not unsuspecting civilians.
Congress has provided the military with military reservations for training purposes, putting military trainees, with realistic looking weaponry, in close proximity to unaware civilians is a recipe for deadly conflict. In North Carolina a deputy sheriff killed one and seriously wounded another military trainee in a similar situation. The local county had to pay out $750,000 in damages. Our state and local governments are already under dire financial distress.
State park users should not be required to become military props as a condition of entry and use of our parks, and should never be exposed to potential danger or liability while using our parks.
Accordingly, please reject this Navy request and to restore all of our state parks to civilian use only. Thank you.
Example Letter:
2020: December, Comment Letter: Spina to WA Parks & REC Commission
I use our state parks. This permit request must be rejected. The Navy’s plan is to use our parks, instead of their own military reservations, in order to use civilians as props. This is completely unacceptable. Our state parks are for peaceful civilian use and are essential for public health, especially now with the Covid-19 pandemic. Our parks must remain civilian.
Congress has provided the military with military reservations for training purposes, putting military trainees, with realistic looking weaponry, in close proximity to unaware civilians is a recipe for deadly conflict.
State park users should not be required to become military props as a condition of entry and use of our parks, and should never be exposed to potential danger or liability while using our parks.
Accordingly, please reject this Navy request and to restore all of our state parks to civilian use only. Thank you.
This should never even be a subject On the table. We cannot be a democratic country and allow the use of our peoples land for any military purposes period. I had to read this so many times as I could not even believe what I saw. Outrageous and not anything I would expect on American soil. Why would you subject civilians to something as outlandish as having to be subjected to military tactical operations. I’m at a loss for words on how disappointed I am that this is even something I as a citizen has to be on the alert to. I will not stand quietly on the behalf of all who enjoy our state land for peace and beauty .
My answer is a flat out NO! Under no circumstances should our parks be used by military of any branch. We need to PRESERVE our parks in every way possible including PEACEFULNESS, vegetation, wildlife, wilderness, individual uniqueness and other reasons. The military has multi-billions to plan exercises elsewhere.
I do not support using our state parks for training.