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November 3, 2014
To:
Bryon Monohon, Mayor, Forks
Dan Di Guilio, Mayor, Port Angeles
David King, Mayor, Port Townsend
Forks Chamber of Commerce
Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce
Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
Fawn Sharp, President, Quinault Indian Nation
Michelle Simpson, Beaver Creek Cabins
Christi Baron, Editor, Forks Forum
From: Christine Kerlin for the Quietskies over San Juan County Group
I am writing on behalf of the Quiet Skies over San Juan County Group. Our website is
www.quietskies.info
We have read the news articles and heard the TV and radio stories regarding the Navy's plans
to utilize remote emitter simulators in your region, thereby using the Olympic Peninsula as an
area for electronic warfare training, an "EW Range". We are also aware of the letters provided
by the Sierra Club, FSEEE, and OPA in response to the US Forest Services' open comment
period
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Our group is currently concerning itself with the issue of excessive noise of the EA-18G
(Growler) jets over San Juan County. In learning of the questions raised by the Navy's plans to
expand its electronic warfare range to the Olympic Peninsula, we thought we would support
the concerns expressed over the issue of the noise that likely will be made by these jets as
they fly over residential and recreational areas for the purpose of picking up the remote
emitters. Our preliminary reading of some of the documents associated with the Navy's plans
indicates that the issue of the jet noise, particularly the low frequency noise associated with
the Growler jets, is not being addressed adequately.
The Navy's 2013 Scoping Brochure, page 10, states that the Growler "is recognizable by the
low-frequency rumble of its jet engines." Yet the Wyle Report (1), used by the Navy in its
2012 Environmental Assessment, explains that"the metrics used to describe aircraft noise in
this study are presented in terms of A-weighted decibels (dBA), which de-emphasizes low-
frequency noise." Furthermore, the use of the afterburners, which produce an even louder
roar, was not analyzed.
We encourage you to pursue this issue, as well as the other concerns that have been raised. It
would seem that the designation of the Olympic National Park as a Warfare Training Range,
and the current request by the Navy for 13-26 more Growlers stationed at Naval Air Station
Whidbey Island would foretell even more jets roaring over our homes and wilderness areas,
day and night.
Regarding the proposal to add more Growler jets and more flights to Naval Air Station
Whidbey, we invite you to consider submitting comments for the Environmental Impact Study
Scoping period now open, with a current deadline of November 24, 2014. Information can be
found at http://www.whidbeyeis.com/ Click on the Comments tab to submit a comment
online.
Thank you, and best wishes.
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