CommunityEditor
02-05-2009, 08:14 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. — Fishermen and environmental groups are concerned about the Navy’s plan to expand its training operation off the Oregon coast.
The Navy has been practicing in the Pacific for decades, and wants to expand those exercises by scheduling more training flights, adding a dummy minefield-avoidance training course, and increasing the use of sonar.
Expanded training is critical, the Navy says, particularly practicing submarine detection and electronic jamming of enemy signals on the fly.
But fishermen worry about munitions debris tearing up nets and longer closures of the large swaths of ocean. The biggest environmental concern is the Navy’s use of midfrequency active sonar. Environmental groups say it damages whales and other marine mammals that use sound to communicate and navigate.
The military produced a 1,000-page environmental review of its training plan and concludes that it won’t harm marine life or the public.
Most of the flights will take place at high altitude or far from shore, and the munitions firing will almost always be in remote areas, said Sheila Murray, environmental public affairs officer for the Navy’s Northwest region.
In its review, the Navy said sonar exposure contributed to five “mass stranding events” worldwide since 1996, with whales showing up dead in numbers on the beach.
The review says the increased training would boost mammal sonar exposures from about 110,000 a year to nearly 130,000. It adds that the Navy reduces sonar use when mammals are spotted near ships and submarines.
The Navy held one Oregon meeting about the proposal and comments are due Wednesday; activists and environmental groups say that’s insufficient and want an extension into March.
“For the whole state of Oregon, there was one 90-minute hearing,” said Marie Gargano of Depoe Bay, who is active in environmental issues. “It just looks like a pro-forma effort to meet the requirements of the law.”
Murray told The Oregonian that the Navy put notices in two coastal Oregon papers and notified politicians and state regulators. “We do want public comment,” she said. “That’s how we’re able to have this work. We’re not out to hide anything.”
Article: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_navy_oregon_training_020509/
The Navy has been practicing in the Pacific for decades, and wants to expand those exercises by scheduling more training flights, adding a dummy minefield-avoidance training course, and increasing the use of sonar.
Expanded training is critical, the Navy says, particularly practicing submarine detection and electronic jamming of enemy signals on the fly.
But fishermen worry about munitions debris tearing up nets and longer closures of the large swaths of ocean. The biggest environmental concern is the Navy’s use of midfrequency active sonar. Environmental groups say it damages whales and other marine mammals that use sound to communicate and navigate.
The military produced a 1,000-page environmental review of its training plan and concludes that it won’t harm marine life or the public.
Most of the flights will take place at high altitude or far from shore, and the munitions firing will almost always be in remote areas, said Sheila Murray, environmental public affairs officer for the Navy’s Northwest region.
In its review, the Navy said sonar exposure contributed to five “mass stranding events” worldwide since 1996, with whales showing up dead in numbers on the beach.
The review says the increased training would boost mammal sonar exposures from about 110,000 a year to nearly 130,000. It adds that the Navy reduces sonar use when mammals are spotted near ships and submarines.
The Navy held one Oregon meeting about the proposal and comments are due Wednesday; activists and environmental groups say that’s insufficient and want an extension into March.
“For the whole state of Oregon, there was one 90-minute hearing,” said Marie Gargano of Depoe Bay, who is active in environmental issues. “It just looks like a pro-forma effort to meet the requirements of the law.”
Murray told The Oregonian that the Navy put notices in two coastal Oregon papers and notified politicians and state regulators. “We do want public comment,” she said. “That’s how we’re able to have this work. We’re not out to hide anything.”
Article: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_navy_oregon_training_020509/