PORT TOWNSEND — The Navy heard concerns about proposed onshore training areas during an open house on plans for special operations training.
Community members cycled through the Blue Heron Middle School commons from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, asking questions and filling out public comment forms.
“These are early outreach for feedback from the community who may have concerns over historic properties or other areas of concern,” said Adrianne Saboya, the Naval Special Warfare Environmental Program manager.
Public comment will be accepted until May 18.
The proposed training areas include shoreline from Port Townsend to the end of the Dabob Peninsula as well as Fort Worden, Fort Flagler and Fort Townsend, all of which are state parks.
Shoreline along the east side of Hood Canal, the east side of the Kitsap Peninsula and the north end of Bainbridge Island is also included in the proposed onshore training area, as is a portion on the Pacific Coast from Westhaven to Cape Disappointment.
However, the area actually used for training likely will be a fraction of what is proposed, according to Anna Whalen, an environmental planner and project manager for the Navy’s environmental assessment for this training program.
“This is our study area,” Whalen said. “What we’re aiming for is 25 to 30 percent of the proposed shoreline area.”
Whalen said the proposed area is so large partially because the Navy will need permission from private property owners to train on their shoreline, but also because the training requires diverse areas.
“The trainees can learn these things so fast, so we can’t take them to the same place every time,” Whalen said.
The training exercises that will be conducted at these locations are meant to teach trainees how to avoid detection, according to Daniel, a chief warrant officer 3 and training detachment officer in charge. Daniel would not provide his surname, citing security concerns.
Trainees would use small submersibles, which would be accompanied by two safety boats, to move to an off shore location, Navy officials said.
The training, using diving gear, will then deploy from the submersible and make their way to land for two to 72 hours of on-land training.
Boats and submersibles would be launched from already established boat launches in the South Sound.
Since the training is focused on avoiding detection, trainees are told not to leave any trace of their presence or training activities.
This means there would be no use of live-fire ammunition, explosives, manned air operations, off-road driving, vegetation cutting, digging, tree climbing, fires or building infrastructure.
While Navy representatives at the outreach session stressed the requirement that land owners must consent to any training on their property and the low environmental impact of the training, those areas seemed to be major concerns of some community members in attendance.
“Every time a person is on a beach they’re having an impact,” said Georganne Rundblad, a Port Townsend resident who lives near North Beach.
Much of the concern was over the Navy’s proposed use of state and private property.
“It’s normalizing the idea that private property is also military,” said Curtis White, who also lives in Port Townsend near Fort Worden. “I want that distinction maintained.”
“Basically we live on a large military base and the thought is to ‘just get used to it,’” said Juliet Parfery of Chimacum. “We feel the Navy isn’t hearing our concerns on this.”
The Navy is conducting an environmental assessment of the impact the proposed training would have on noise pollution, air quality, biological and water resources and public health and safety.
According to Saboya, the Navy hopes to have a draft of the environmental assessment available to the public by no later than December of this year. Once the assessment is released, a 30-day public comment period will begin.
Should the Environmental Assessment find any kind of environmental impact the Navy will then do a environmental impact study.
Wednesday’s outreach session was one of four held in the South Sound area this month to collect public feedback.
The Navy will accept public comment until May 18. Written feedback can be sent via email to nwnepa@navy.mil or mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Attention: Project Manager, EV21.AW, 1101 Tautog Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale, WA 98315-1101.
For more information on the Navy plans, see https://navfac.navy.mil/NSOEA.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
