Supports easement around Outlying Field | Letter

Published 1:45 pm Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Editor,

For somebody who was supposed to dial back my involvement in OLF Coupeville land-use issues, I sure feel the need to speak up. When a COER spokeswoman claims a Navy easement will be harmful, she forgets that OLF Coupeville is here to stay for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) training.

When the rescoping of the Navy’s EA-18G EIS was published in the national register, due to fiscal issues and ongoing patriotic efforts by OLF supporters such as myself, the Department of the Navy (DoN) announced, “The DoN is not considering alternative locations for FCLP training.” It’s game over for COER in that regard; the question is what’s next.

One way of settling that question is America’s Navy should continue purchasing easements and also disclose all previous easements in a public statement.

As Navy easements keep OLF Coupeville primed for field carrier landing practice, NAS Whidbey Island will continue “due to its remote location and low ambient lighting” per a fact sheet of theirs. Public disclosure will help expose the truth about the Central Whidbey land use fiasco and force solutions — hence my endorsement of Judy Gremmel’s and Isobel Kameros’ group’s litigation.

Finally, I would also encourage my fellow Americans to watch “America’s Navy — The Shield” on YouTube.  Perhaps my fellow Americans would comprehend why this patriot returned the favor by defending OLF Coupeville until the COER injunction threat was eliminated so OLF Coupeville could reopen Jan. 6, 2014.

Joe A. Kunzler

Sedro-Woolley