Get Involved
The U.S. Navy has been training in the Northwest Training Range Complex for national defense purposes
for over 100 years. In line with the Northwest Training Range Complex-wide management practices,
the U.S. Navy has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS/OEIS) to comprehensively evaluate the effects of current and future Navy activities
within the range complex on the environment.
Why is the Navy Conducting an Environmental Impact Statement?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 requires federal agencies to examine the individual
and cumulative, or additive environmental effects of their activities. An Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) is a detailed public document that provides an assessment of the potential effects a Federal
action might have on the human, natural, or cultural environment. An Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement (OEIS) is prepared to comply with Executive Order 12114, Environmental Effects Abroad of
Major Federal Actions, signed by President Carter in 1979. This order requires Federal agencies to
consider the effects of actions that may affect the environment outside U.S. territorial waters.
The Navy’s air, land, and sea ranges within Northwest Training Range Complex provide Navy and
Marine Corps personnel with the space and facilities needed to conduct realistic training, which
is essential for the safety and readiness of military personnel and the success of the military mission.
The Navy has prepared the Northwest Training Range Complex Draft EIS/OEIS to plan for the future
and to assess the effects of the Navy’s ongoing and anticipated operations on the environment.
The Northwest Range Complex Draft EIS/OEIS also gives the Navy the opportunity to review its procedures
and ensure that the benefits of recent scientific and technological advances are applied toward
minimizing environmental effects.
How Can The Community be Involved?
In September 2007, the Navy held five scoping meetings in Washington, Oregon, and northern California,
to inform the public of the Proposed Action and to solicit public comment. Government agencies,
organizations, and the public were encouraged to submit comments at the scoping meetings or to
provide written comments throughout the public comment period. The scoping comment period ended
on September 29, 2007. The Navy has carefully considered each of the comments received and addressed
them in the Draft EIS/OEIS.
A summary of these comments may be viewed here..
The U.S. Navy encourages the public to comment via this website or attend an open house and public
hearing to learn about and provide comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS for the Northwest Training Range Complex.
Five public hearings were held to inform the public about the Navy’s Proposed Action and to obtain
written and oral comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS for consideration in the final document. All public
hearings included an open-house information session beginning at 5:00 p.m. and a public hearing
beginning at 7:00 p.m. Public hearings were held on the following dates and locations:
| Date:
|
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009 |
|
Location: |
ASC Board Room, 350
S. Oak Harbor Street, Oak Harbor, WA 98277 |
| Date:
|
Wednesday, Jan. 28,
2009 |
|
Location: |
Pacific Beach Fire
Hall, 4586 State Route 109, Pacific Beach, WA 98571 |
| Date: |
Thursday, Jan. 29,
2009 |
|
Location: |
Grays Harbor College
Cafeteria, 1620 Edward P. Smith Drive, Aberdeen, WA 98520 |
| Date: |
Friday, Jan. 30,
2009 |
|
Location: |
Hatfield Marine
Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365 |
| Date: |
Monday, Feb 2, 2009 |
|
Location: |
Eureka Women’s Club,
1531 J Street, Eureka, CA 95501 |
| Date: |
Thursday, February 26, 2009 |
|
Location: |
Tillamook County Fairgrounds,
4603 E. 3rd Street, Tillamook, OR 97141 |
The Draft EIS/OEIS is available for public review on this web site (see “Documents” page) and in designated
public libraries listed below.
Oak Harbor Public Library
1000 SE Regatta Drive
Oak Harbor, WA
Port Townsend Public Library
1220 Lawrence Street
Port Townsend, WA
Jefferson County Rural Library
620 Cedar Avenue
Port Hadlock, WA
Kitsap Regional Library
1301 Sylvan Way
Bremerton, WA
Timberland Regional Library
420 7th Street
Hoquiam, WA
Lincoln City Public Library
801 SW Highway
101
Lincoln City, OR
Humboldt County Library
1313 3rd Street
Eureka, CA
Newport Public Library
35 NW Ney Street
Newport, OR
County of Tillamook
1716 3rd Street
Tillamook, OR
Suislaw Public Library (in Florence, OR)
1460 9th Street
Florence, OR