Navy Coup Update – Navy vs. Fed

By CAROL VAN STRUM

As we have reported this week, the Navy has made a proposal to use the Pacific Northwest coastline as a target practice range, and has embarked on a suspiciously under-publicized public review process that was scarcely advertised and as anticipated, largely unnoticed.В  Now it seems as through the US Navy isn’t the only agency involved in making what amounts to be a furtive land grab off the Pacific Northwest coast. Joining in what appears to be a territorial struggle between two large federal agencies, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is making a play to establish their own distinguishing and environmentally-questionable mark on the area. В 

In a classic case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing, the FERC has issued a preliminary permit for installation of 200 to 400 wave energy buoys off the coast of Newport, Oregon. The buoys would be placed within the area designated by the US Navy for bombing and gunnery practice, experimental weapons testing, sonar experiments, unmanned drone aircraft tests, undersea minefield exercises and other explosive activities. FERC’s permit has stirred up “a hornet’s nest” both in southern Oregon, where residents of Coos Bay expected the installations to be placed, and in Newport, where fishermen as well as the county district attorney complained of being left out of the loop in the decision.

According to The Coos Bay World, the permit “also calls into question FERC’s intentions of adhering to a memorandum of understanding previously negotiated with Oregon to give the state greater siting power over wave energy projects in the territorial sea.”

Both FERC and the US Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service, The Coos Bay World notes, “have claimed the area outside of Oregon’s territorial sea, beyond three nautical miles.” During the last year, while FERC, the US Department of the Interior, coastal fishermen and the state of Oregon quibbled over control of coastal waters, the US Navy quietly slipped under the radar and planted its own flag -– backed with the best weapons our tax money can buy.

The Navy’s Northwest Range Complex Environmental Impact Statement [EIS] makes abundantly clear that the Navy’s bombing range plans trump all other claims.

The Navy provided public notice to the people of Oregon with a single press release to a small-town weekly paper on the north coast; held only one – grossly unpublicized — public meeting on the EIS for the entire state; and thoughtfully provided only a single hard copy of its EIS for the entire state to read, placing it in the same coastal town library.

Adding exquisite insult to injury, the Navy website, which supposedly provides public access to its EIS on-line, has been inoperable more than 50% of the comment period, and to this day frequently rejects comments submitted by e-mail.)

The resulting free-for-all among federal agencies, the state of Oregon and the US Navy might be entertaining to watch, but those who will suffer the aftermath – coastal fishermen, the tourist trade, local residents, businesses, whales, birds, crabs and other creatures – will scarcely be amused.

Already their interests have been lost in the fray.The fact that the Portland Oregonian, the only state-wide newspaper, published no story on the Navy’s proposal until five days after the only public meeting held in the state is testimony both to the Navy’s successful suppression of its intent, and to the media’s complicity in keeping the public as ill-informed as possible. The last day for public comments to be received on the Navy’s Environmental Impact Statement isВ Feb. 11, 2009.

This could definitely be a territorial war, and the state and especially the people and wildlife are simply collateral damage and the feds don’t give a shit. Where’s it heading? We’re not sure yet. But if enough people raise the roof, it should go to the top — governors and congressВ people pressuring the president and the military and FERC. The citizens of the states involved have a right to know what’s going on with their coastline.

At this moment, we are working on contacts at FERC.

As for the Navy, people can call Sheila Murray, Environmental Public Affairs Officer, Commander Navy Region Northwest:
phone 360-396-4981
cell 360-340-5398
fax 360-396-7127

emailto:sheila.murray@navy.mil

Keep a record of every call, e-mail, fax, etc.В 

And call every congressperson, senator, governor and local officials they can think of. Nonstop. This is in addition to submitting comments on the EIS. And if as keeps happening people can’t access the EIS website or their comments are refused on-line, make a record of that, without fail.