Navy Must Do a New Environmental Impact Statement on Growler Fleet

New OFCO board member Karen Sullivan, retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service marine biologist, wrote OFCO’s recent comments on the Navy Whidbey Island Growler Fleet Expansion Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) submitted February 23. Karen has had a very trying few months, with four major proposals for  potentially damaging activities (military and forestry) requiring our attention and a considered response. Four—with hundreds of pages of technical and scientific materials—and had major gaps and inadequate data in the body of material. Fortunately Karen is seen widely as the expert on Navy expansion activities in our area and on endangered species. Our conclusion: The Navy must revise its analysis and publish a complete DEIS that takes into account the full picture—all 160 Growlers in the fleet and all of their operations over our forests and marine waters. Anything less fails to observe the public process meant to protect the local environment and health of local communities.