A Way Forward

Revised by the Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve and Sound Defense Alliance, July 2026

A Way Forward

Our Communities Deserve a Livable Environment

For decades, NW Washington State communities have hosted the U.S. military in its mission of protecting our national security.

A recent University of Washington study found that exposure to NASWI’s EA-18G “Growler” jet noise puts the health of over 74,000 residents in northwest Washington at risk, including Tribal nations.

After over 10 years of litigation and 11 lawsuits brought against the Navy, the Sound Defense Alliance and Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve propose a novel strategy to disperse the impacts of jet noise by dividing them among a greater number of training venues. This strategy will reduce the concentration of jet noise on some areas and more closely replicate historical noise levels imposed by the Navy.

We ask for your support for Mission Fix-It, an entirely doable three-point plan that satisfies the Navy’s mission while addressing the highest levels of concern from NW communities - all supported by current data and research. This proposal will disperse and equitably balance the impacts of FCLP noise over Northwest Washington’s communities and establish a sustainable solution between the military and civilian communities --- With your help, we hope to return the Navy to its status of being a good neighbor”.

Existing condition scenario: The baseline condition from the 2018 ROD allocated 29,600 total operations as 5,900 FCLP operations at Ault Field and 23,700 at the OLF, Coupeville.

Mission Fix-It Priorities

  1. Move 1/3 of NASWI Growler field carrier landing practice (FCLP) operations to other off-Whidbey airfields (e.g., El Centro, Fentress, Fallon, etc.)*

  2. Redistribute the 2/3 balance of FCLPs to half at OLF and half at Ault Field.

  3. Redistribute the current Runway 32:14 allocation at the OLF to 50:50.

*A suggested alternative practice airfield for new pilots first deployments: Fentress https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Auxiliary_Landing_Field_Fentress

* This detachment training was common practice until around 2018 when the Navy decided to save gas dollars. For example in 2015–2017 NASWI flew about 6000 to 8000 FCLP Growler operations at various airfields around the U.S.

In Addition

  • Due to the extreme proximity of Coupeville schools to the APZ of OLF track #32, the Navy should cease FCLPs on runway #32 when schools are in session.

  • Due to the significant health consequences tied to sleep disturbance and the findings of the UW Public Health Study on jet noise, the Navy should cease FCLPs after 10:30 PM.

Justification

  • FCLPs are the most egregious Growler training operations with the greatest impacts on civilians. The impacts are accumulative, so it is critical to minimize exposures. Mission Fix-It disperses the noise impacts among different neighborhoods and provides these additional benefits:

  • Mitigates risks and impacts on any one group, as thoroughly examined and explained in https://citizensofebeysreserve.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Population-by-DNL-contour-Ault-v-OLF-2026.pdf

  • Enhances pilot competence and readiness by providing greater geographic training diversity, more realistic take-off and landing into the wind.

  • Eliminates the need for APZ designation at the OLF and reduces the safety risks for Coupeville schools that are situated too close to APZ-1.

  • Reduces and balances the significant health and well-being impacts as detailed here https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-024-00670-1

  • Mitigates safety risks at the OLF due to its runway being too short and its primary surface and clear zone not meeting military airfield requirements https://citizensofebeysreserve.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/OLF-Deficiencies.pdf

  • Reduces jet noise ‘hot spots’ where Growler noise is so loud it exceeds studied levels and identified by the University of Washington study.

  • Brings the safety risks and impacts on any one group down by dispersing lower-level impacts across broader area and population.

  • Brings the Navy into compliance with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services terms and conditions of its Incidental Take Statement requiring the Navy to reduce Growler jet flights between Ault Field and the OLF to protect the endangered seabird, the marbled murrelet.

  • Reducing CO2 emissions makes NASWI a model for other aviation bases: Based on a consumption rate of roughly 1,304 gallons of fuel per hour, the Growler produces about 12,479 kg (12.5 metric tons) of CO2 hourly. That’s about an eighth of the distance between the earth and the moon. Beyond CO2 the jet engines produce nitrogen oxides which form fine particles and contribute to atmospheric warming.

Let’s Fix It!

We are calling on our Washington State elected leaders to help put pressure on our elected officials up the line, including our Congressional Representatives, our Senators, and our Governor.

We are calling upon our communities to amplify our Mission Fix-It and support our advocacy against the Navy’s EA-18G harm to civilians. We urge you to exert your influence on our elected officials; they have the power to protect us—remind them to use that power!

Contact information for elected officials here: https://www.sounddefensealliance.org/call-your-reps