Editor,
Navy Spokesperson Ted Brown’s recent letter makes it clear that the Navy won’t be giving serious attention to the pressing issue of Growler jet noise-induced health harms.
The Navy implied that harms claimed by noise victims aren’t real because of a federal court ruling against Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve, or COER.
Citizens sought to have low-level Growler flights over their homes halted until completion of an Environmental Impact Study.
The Navy won the right to fly first and study later. The ruling did not prove the absence of health harms.
The Navy knows there are serious health issues related to noise, which is why it designates hazardous noise areas requiring use of hearing protection and health monitoring of its personnel.
The Navy’s concern for its own is not extended to civilians who are being exposed to Growler noise levels that exceed any World Health Organization, OSHA or state of Washington noise standards.
The Navy and Board of Health have been provided with science-based data, research and articles addressing noise related health harms.
Also provided were declarations of patients, treating doctors and medical professionals.
There’s a reason the Navy is sticking to its story that Growlers are not as loud as the Prowler jets they replaced. It was the Navy’s excuse for not conducting a full Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, before the Growlers began to fly.
The Navy avoided an EIS by claiming that switching to Growlers would have “no significant impact,” and only agreed to conduct an EIS being sued by COER and after Growler operations and their harmful impacts had begun.
The Navy is also sticking to its story because of a 2002 out-of-court settlement over Prowler noise. The Navy paid residents hundreds of thousands of dollars and promised not to fly jets louder than Prowlers over their properties.
To admit that Growlers are louder would be to admit being in violation of the settlement terms. In fact, Navy documents acknowledge that on takeoff Growlers are 30-40 percent louder and on approach to landing about 75 percent louder than the Prowlers.
Navy spokesperson Ted Brown carefully selected quotes from a 2012 Noise Study for Whidbey Naval Air Station. He ignored the quote about Growler noise vibrations, “that result in rattling of objects within the dwelling such as hanging pictures, dishes, plaques and bric-a-brac.”
It further states, “With its increased low-frequency content, Growler take-offs have higher potential [than Prowlers] to cause noise induced vibration.”
Health studies the Navy wants to ignore include those linking noise vibrations to harms that include micro-tears to internal organs.
The Navy’s dismissal of concerns about noise-induced injury, even before completion of its Environmental Impact Statement, shows callous disregard for civilian harms caused by Growler training that could take place elsewhere.
Maryon Attwood
Coupeville
