And so the continued piecemeal expansion of the Navy in our waters continues with virtually no real debate.
The Navy is preparing a supplement to an environmental impact statement that would increase use of sonar in the Northwest Training and Testing Study Area. In January, the Navy released a draft environmental impact study of training exercises and use of sonar and explosives in the training zone that includes areas off the North Olympic Peninsula’s Pacific Coast — including the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary — off Indian Island and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. By December, the Navy expects to release a supplement to that draft study, recommending increasing the use of sonobuoys, and open it to public comment. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)