PORT TOWNSEND — The naval installation across the bay from Port Townsend has a handful of construction projects planned over the next three to four years that will improve safety and possibly provide data for new technologies in the energy field.
Naval Magazine Indian Island commanding officer Cmdr. Mark Loose told members of the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce at their weekly luncheon Monday that the most immediate project would be a floating safety wall 500 feet off the dock at the base.
Floating wall
“It will be a floating, netted wall to essentially draw a line in the sand of where you can go,” Loose said.
“We have a sign there now that says to stay back 500 feet, but you have to be within 200 feet to read it, so this will fix that.”
Loose said the floating wall will have a minimal impact on the environment and will not change the entrance to Mystery Bay.
Furthermore, Loose said some of the area would be reopened if there were no boats at dock.
Another project is replacing the magazines used for storing ordnance at the base.
“That will happen in the next two or three years,” Loose said.
A third project, introduced by Peter Havens, an environmental planner with Navy Region Northwest, is to sink tidal turbines in Admiralty Inlet off the eastern shores of Marrowstone Island to generate power.
“We have identified two locations off Marrowstone Island,” Havens said.
“It’s just for testing, so we will put it in for nine to 12 months and then remove it.”
The project is still in the beginning stages, Havens said. An environmental impact study must be completed, and the Navy plans to go to the public before it moves forward with the study, likely sometime in the summer, Havens said.
Loose stressed that such a project would be for collecting data only and not be a permanent source of power on Indian Island.
“We’re not looking for a lot of power,” Loose said.
“We’re looking for a lot of data. When the turbines turn, when they are not turning, how much power we get.”
Loose said all the projects are being done with the environment in mind.
Questions answered
Answering questions on environment and safety issues, Loose said:
•SEnSNaval Magazine Indian Island has removed all depleted uranium munitions as of December 2008.
•SEnSSonar use in the area — which has been linked to adverse effects in marine life — is monitored.
•SEnSTrucks entering the base are subject to safety inspections.
•SEnSSafety inspections will be conducted this summer, and he expects the base to do extremely well.
“We do everything on the Island to make sure you guys are as safe as can be,” Loose said.
Loose also invited the community out to the base on May 23 at 9 a.m. for the “Deer Run,” a 9.25 kilometer run through Indian Island.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
