The Navy continues to show what seems to be an arrogance in it’s interpretations of the laws of the state and the country when it comes to providing proof of non-harm of the environment. It is quite astounding that after all the thousands of comments that have been put forward by the people living in this area against the attempts of the Navy to co-op our air, land and waters for training exercises, when there are alternative locations available, that the Navy would choose to take this route. In the face of tribal cultural resources, environmental and historical areas of significance, etc., that the Navy would choose to put this current EIS document out, and that they are giving you, the people paying their salaries and who they defend, no public comment period, seems to be both illegal and outrageous behavior.
Keep the momentum up people. The legal system will be used, and your calls to Derek Kilmer, Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray and locally our State Representatives and Senators is required to show that we are not going to let the Navy simply get it’s way because it puts out thousands of pages of erroneous information, on purpose.
Port Townsend, WA, November 8, 2015 – The West Coast Action Alliance and Olympic Forest Coalition received the astounding news that the Navy has unilaterally declared the consultation over, on effects of Navy activities on cultural and historic properties, with Washington’s State Historic Preservation Officer. In her immediate reply letter from the State, State Historic Preservation Officer Dr. Allyson Brooks strongly objected to the abrupt termination.
Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Navy is required to consult with Washington’s Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
In their letter to Dr. Brooks, the Navy claimed that they have complied with the requirements as set forth in the statute and regulations.
However, Dr. Brooks’ office has made it abundantly clear, and reconfirmed this in her letter, that the process is far from complete. Dr. Brooks strenuously objected to such abrupt termination of ongoing discussions.
As of October 2, the Navy produced a 3,400-page Final EIS on Northwest Training and Testing, with no public comment period and without completing formal endangered species and cultural/historic site consultations with the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the State of Washington. After granting itself a waiver via the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Donald Schregardus, the Navy is expected to sign a Record of Decision on Monday, November 9. This in effect gives the Navy permission to proceed with actions that require incidental take permits from federal wildlife agencies, and a determination from the State of Washington on potential harm to cultural and historic properties, without knowing what those impacts will be.
Contacts:
Dr. Allyson Brooks, State Historic Preservation Officer: 360-586-3066
John Mosher, Northwest Environmental manager for the U.S. Pacific Fleet: 360-257-3234
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Environment (Donald Schregardus): 703-695-5270
Karen Sullivan is the spokesperson for the West Coast Action Alliance and Olympic Forest Coalition on this topic. More information at: http://westcoastactionalliance.org
Filed under: Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: Navy EIS, Navy Expansion, Olympic Peninsula |
