SILVERDALE — The Navy has extended the public comment period by another 15 days on its new report seeking to continue training and testing on the North Olympic Peninsula and elsewhere beyond 2020.
Public comments may now be submitted on the draft supplemental Northwest Training and Testing Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement until June 12 for consideration in the final supplemental EIS/OEIS.
The original deadline was May 28.
Comments can be submitted online at www.nwtteis.com, at public meetings or mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest Attention: NWTT Supplemental EIS/OEIS Project Manager, 3730 N. Charles Porter Ave., Building 385, Oak Harbor, WA 98278-3500.
The Navy will conduct an open house-style public meeting on the proposal in Port Angeles from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Naval Elks Lodge, 131 E. First St., Port Angeles.
It is the only open house set on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Seven other meetings will be held in Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska.
The 1,784-page, two-volume draft supplemental EIS/OEIS is available for public review online at www.NWTTEIS.com.
Hard copies are available at the Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Port Hadlock and Forks libraries.
The Navy’s preferred alternative would mean a “slight increase” in military aircraft training in Olympic Military Operations Areas (MOAs) airspace over the West End and Pacific Ocean, said Julianne Stanford, Navy Region Northwest spokeswoman.
Olympic Military Operations Areas A and B cover parts of western Clallam, Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties.
The proposed supplement to the 2015 Northwest Training and Testing environmental impact statement reassesses potential impacts from ongoing military readiness activities within a broad study area.
The Navy prepared the draft supplemental document to support the issuance of federal regulatory permits and authorizations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
The Navy proposes to:
• Conduct training and testing activities, at sea and in associated airspace, at levels required to support military readiness requirements beyond 2020.
• Accommodate evolving mission requirements, including those resulting from the development, testing, and introduction of new vessels, aircraft, and weapons systems into the fleet.
