... especially if you live in the Pacific Northwest.
This, from an online story today in the Port Angeles Port O Call website:
Today, the United States Forest Service is poised to grant the Navy their request for a special-use permit for warfare exercises in and above the Olympic National Forest of Washington state in squadrons of EA-18G 'Growler' supersonic warplanes. They’ll fly 260-days-per-year, 16-hours-per-day and as low as 1,200-feet above the ground, working in conjunction with three RV-sized mobile high frequency, electromagnetic radiation emitters at 15 locations on the forest floor.
Both the USFS tried to keep local communities under the flight path and next to the ONF unaware of this project. Now that details have been revealed--it's even worse than first thought. Read the whole story here
POC story
If you want to help preserve the peace & sanctity of the people's National Forests for generations to come, we need you! The USFS needs to hear the public's voice, loud & clear.
No one is against the US Navy.
What we object to are Naval warfare training exercises with electromagnetic radiation emitters operating at high frequency on National Forest land--for 260 days a year, 16 hours a day.
Is it a legal use of National Forest land? Attny's say NO.
Is it necessary to use the National Forest in the first place? The Navy admits there are several other military sites they could use.
Will the USFS grant the permit? Probably.
That is, despite receiving over 2500 letters to date--almost all in passionate opposition.
Here's a link to pertinent docs on the USFS project page
To Make a Comment, go to the above link, and on the right-hand side of the page you'll see Get Connected, and below that a link to Make a Comment.
Here are more details from the story:
During the proposed electromagnetic warfare training, trios of jets working together will depart Naval Air Station Whidbey, and fly over the Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest in the Olympic Military Operation Area (MOA) at not less than 6,000-feet Mean Sea Level--which translates to 1,200-feet (Actual Ground Level) above the ground. In the MOA there are no speed restrictions on these supersonic aircraft.
NAS Whidbey, currently home to over 80 Growlers, is potentially adding 36 more, according to U.S. Fleet Forces Command spokesman, Ted Brown.
The Navy has selected 12 sites in the Olympic National Forest to station their three RV-sized mobile emitters, which will generate electromagnetic radiation beams of various power at 18-GHz frequency. An additional three sites are located on land administered by Washington state’s Department of Natural Resources, but to date the Navy has not applied for permission to use them.
The story raises many issues not addressed in the Navy's Environmental Assessment, including the noise from the infamously loud supersonic jets, electromagnetic radiation impacts to animals, migratory birds, the environment, including small animals, flora & fauna, and economic impact to the area when tourists decide not to visit a war zone!
The Navy, however, concluded that the possible impacts to people or the environment were "not significant." Because of that, no comprehensive EIS was required, and for their part, the USFS has taken everything the Navy says as gospel.
The story also quotes a former Naval Aviator who suggests many possible negative impacts, and says that the war training exercises could just as well be done in a simulator--and for far less $$.
This hasn't been covered well locally, and not at all nationally -- despite the significant implications an open door to this militarism in one National Forest means for the rest of the country.
If you care about this, the time for your voice to be heard is almost over. The comment period runs thru the 28 November--Greenwich Mean Time. Only those who comment now will have standing to object when the USFS decision comes down.
Thank YOU Daily Kos!!!!!