History of the Movement
It has been well over 10 years since the first Growlers arrived, in 2013, consolidating the Navy Growler jet fleet and training operations NASWI and impacting areas surrounding Whidbey Island, the Olympic Peninsula, and Methow Valley. Since that time, Sound Defense Alliance and Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve (COER) have engaged in political and legal advocacy work, while local researchers have conducted multiple studies documenting the noise levels and impacts
2009First Growler jets arrived to NASWI -57 jets to replace the 72 Prowlers.
2012 - OctoberNavy completed an Internal Environmental Assessment (EA) which added 26 more Growlers - 26 including 5 from the reserve unit that were transferred. New total: 57+26 = 83 Growler jets at NASWI.
Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve (COER) was founded. COER brought community efforts for the Navy to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
2012COER demanded an EIS per NEPA.
2013COER conducted Independent Nose Tests – “The Lilly Report”.
2013COER filed a federal lawsuit to stop the Navy from training Growlers at the Out Lying Field (OLF) in Coupeville until an EIS is done on the transition to Growlers at OLF. The original EIS was amended to add more jets and the final was to be released in 2018– flights were stopped for the rest of the year.
2013Delegation of COER members goes to Washington D.C to meet with the Washington State Congressional delegation.
2014 - AprilCOER fought the Navy’s Expansion Request.
2014 - AugustCOER presented to community groups on Whidbey Island, Skagit Valley, the Olympic Peninsula, and the San Juans Islands.
2014 - 2016Injunction VS Flights – COER requested a preliminary injunction to stop Growler flights until the EIS was completed. COER alerted and supported the community regarding water contamination by the Navy.
2015 - AprilCOER filed a complaint to the State Board of Health (BOH) against the Island County BOH for not taking action on the public health issues of noise. This was the State BOH’s first investigation of a County BOH in 25 years. RESULT: WA State Department of Health declared noise is a public health issue.
2016 - OctoberNavy’s Final EIS added 35 more jets for a total of 118 Growlers at NASWI.
2016 - NovemberEarthFix produced “The Peaceful Rainforest And The Growler Jets” video, increasing public around the Growler jet noise in the Olympic rainforest.
2016The National Park Service (NPS) produced an Acoustical Monitoring Report on Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve.
2016COER organized public meetings on the Navy’s water contamination of drinking water in communities on Whidbey Island.
2016 - 2017COER wrote letters to the Navy and attended WA State Chemical Action plan meetings on PFAS and PFOAs.
2017Initiated by the community, Michael H. Shuman produced a report on “Invisible Costs: The $122 Million Price Tag for The Naval Air Station Whidbey Island”.
2017COER became a registered 501(c)3 organization.
2017COER worked with journalist, reporter, and author, Dahr Jamail, to produce over 20 articles about the Growlers and their expansion in the region.
2017 - 2018106 Process of the National Historic Preservation Act
2017-2018Melissa Young and Mark Dworkin produce “Plane Truths”, a 33-minute documentary exploring the environmental and community impacts of increased Growler jet training at NASWI.
“This documentary shows how the opaque and secret activities of the military have had a corrosive impact on the environment, creating 'sacrifice zones' of communities that have become, essentially, collateral damage of the US military-industrial complex... Powerful documentary."
- Andrew Jenks, Educational Media Reviews Online
2018 - AprilSound Defense Alliance (SDA) is formed as a coalition of groups and people impacted by jet noise in NW Washington!
2018National Parks Conservation Association produces short film, Hear Our Olympics
Coordinated a defeat for two bills in the legislature drafted by the WA Military Alliance committee that allowed Base Commanders at NASWI to insert military control over civilian land management.
20182018EIS Completed by the Navy - Navy announced massive expansion of jet flight operations at NASWI & Coupeville OLF.
2018SDA held card protests and simultaneous events in Port Townsend and Lopez Island in the San Juans.
2018 - October2018 - OctoberCOER worked with the State Director of Historic Preservation, Allyson Brooks, and organized a regional meeting to host the National Council of Historic Preservation in a meeting in Coupeville to propose jet noise remedies as required by the 106 Process as part of NEPA requirements.
2018 - December201920192019Impact of Military Aircraft on the Soundscape of the Olympic Peninsula published by researchers Lauren Kuehne, Sally Kamae, and Laura Giannone.
2019WA State AG and COER filed consolidated National Environmental Policy Act lawsuits against the Navy.
2019SDA actively presented to communities in Northwest Washington, focusing on the detrimental impacts of increased EA-18G Growler jet training.
2019Washington Trust for Historic Preservation shows support for jet noise mitigation sent to Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
2019Lauren Kuehne (University of Washington’s College of the Environment, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences) presented initial summary of findings on Impact of military flights on Olympic Peninsula Soundscapes
2019Navy settled Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit with COER and provided files and paid $17,500 to COER for attorney’s fees.
AG has concerns about Navy Expansion and Orca whales: Taking and Marine Mammals Incidental to the U.S. Navy Training and Testing Activities in the Northwest Training and Testing Study (NWTT) Area
2020202020202020Study published in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering - Above and below: Military Aircraft Noise in Air and under Water at Whidbey Island, Washington
2020University of Washington publishes article: Military flights biggest cause of noise pollution on Olympic Peninsula
2020State of WA challenged Navy NWTT impacts
2020Federal Magistrate declared EA-18G “Growler” expansion at NAS Whidbey Island violated NEPA.
SDA interviews Dr. Arline Bronzaft, renowned noise researcher, which leads to national relationships with orgs incl. Quiet Communities
2020 - December20212021The Intercept published a short film by Nina Burman: When the Jets Fly: New Warplanes Turn U.S. Towns Into Sonic Hellscapes
2021SDA implemented quarterly Listening Sessions to offer community members a safe space to share experiences and for SDA to gain first-hand insight into the impacts of the Growlers to better represent their members.
2022SDA interviewed researchers, local and national leaders, and community members to publish a 12-episode podcast series.
2022NDAA requested Navy conduct a Real-Time Aircraft Sound Monitoring Study: Technical Report
2022202320232024University of Washington researchers published a study finding over 74,000 Washington residents are impacted by the Growlers.
2024King TV released a video on the University of Washington study
2024Navy Jet Noise and Community Health Video produced by University of Washington
2024Endangered Southern Resident Orcas L-Pod returned to Penn Cove for first time in 50 years since their traumatic captures - left when Growlers start flying and haven’t returned since. Community members captured event on video.
2024 - November20252025SDA and University of Washington gave a presentation to San Juan County Commissioners
SDA collaborated with Washington Physicians, Seattle Against War, and NW Against Nuclear Weapons to offer community members public webinar on financial costs of the U.S. military.
20252026