Washington Environmental Council
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NWTT Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS Comment Date: 6/12/2019 11:58:36 AM Eastern Who are you representing? Organization / Affiliation Organization/Affiliation: Washington Environmental Council Full Name: Rein Attemann Comment: Please accept that attached comment letter signed by 2,042 members of the public. We expect that the US Navy will accept and consider these comments as 2,042 unique comments. thank you for the opportunity to comment on this Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Dear U.S. Navy, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS). I am specifically concerned about impacts on the Southern Resident orcas, which are at serious risk of extinction. The draft EIS, as presented, clearly identifies that the Navy’s training and testing activities will harm endangered Southern Resident orcas. The Navy must shift these activities away from locations and dates that endangered species are present. In an already noisy underwater world, orcas need quieter waters order to effectively communicate with one another, to forage for food, to nurse their young, to breed, and to migrate. More active sonar disturbance and mine explosions will harm orcas. A March 2019 report by NOAA by Emmons, Hanson, and Lemmers (see citation below) records calls from both Southern Resident and Northern Resident Killer Whales at the same locations and months as explosive noises from Navy activities. That means the Navy is already altering the soundscape in ways that are harmful to these endangered species. Any harm to orcas constitutes an illegal “take” under the Endangered Species Act. There are documented cases in this region of U.S. and Canadian naval activities, including active sonar training and explosive testing, causing direct harm, death, or displacement to the Southern Resident orcas. In 2003, an active sonar training exercise conducted by the U.S. Navy in the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca and Haro Strait caused the J Pod to stop foraging and exhibit abnormal behaviors and movement, change direction multiple times, and group together in shallow water where they are at increased risk of stranding. A juvenile Southern Resident female was stranded in 2012 with evidence of trauma consistent with an explosion or high-pressure impact, a week after the Canadian Navy had been conducting sonar exercises in the region. In 2017, explosives detonated by the Canadian Navy near L Pod caused the whales to group together suddenly and flee the area. Also, the designation for Southern Resident orca critical habitat is likely to change later this year. The Navy should not make final decisions about training and testing in the potential new critical habitat areas off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California until this designation has been made. While other agencies and operators are taking new, meaningful steps to reduce noise and disturbance affecting Southern Resident orcas, the Navy must also increase its protections, or it will become responsible for a larger share of the cumulative impact and potentially negate some of the benefits of the other actions being taken. In a time when we should be taking action to address and decrease threats facing the population, including reducing noise and disturbance, the Navy’s proposed activities increase the risks from ocean noise, vessel strike and disturbance, potential direct harm and injury to Southern Resident orcas, and displacement from preferred habitat. The Navy must consider the current crisis facing the endangered Southern Resident orcas and make new adjustments in its testing and training activities. Despite being listed under the Endangered Species Act for nearly 14 years, this unique population is not recovering and is continuing to decline. Given their highly endangered status and continuing decline, the Navy should be considering how to reduce impacts and increase protections for Southern Resident orcas. * Citation: Emmons, C.K., M.B. Hanson, and M.O. Lammers. 2019. Monitoring the occurrence of Southern Resident killer whales, other marine mammals, and anthropogenic sound in the Pacific Northwest. Prepared for: U.S. Navy, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, HI. Prepared by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Northwest Fisheries Science Center under MIPR N00070-17-MP-4C419. 25 February 2019. 23p. Signed, 2,042 members of Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters Bill Adcock Daniel Abbott James Adams Woodinville, WA 98077 2209 Colby Ave 1513 Cyrene Dr NW Apt 4 Olympia, WA 98502 Carolrae Addison Everett, WA 98201 76 N Lake Cushman Rd Karen Adams Hoodsport, WA 98548 Gina Abernathy Everett, WA 98204 2331 E Lake Sammamish Pl Bob Aegerter SE L Adams 78 North Point Dr Sammamish, WA 98075 28421 Cerveza Ct Bellingham, WA 98229 Escondido, CA 92026 JL Aboitiz Heidi Ahlstrand Seattle, WA 98155 Marsha Adams 1580 State Ave 1715 SE Mason St Owatonna, MN 55060 Barbara Abraham Apt A Apt A 34 Cumberland Rd Shelton, WA 98584 Gary Albright Leominster, MA 1453 21613 Echo Lake Rd Susan Adams Snohomish, WA 98296 Audrey Adams 702 305th St Ct S 10939 SE 183rd Ct Roy, WA 98580 Donna Alexander Renton, WA 98055 20920 Happy Valley Rd Greg Adamson Stanwood, WA 98292 Catherine Adams 1411 W 8th Ave 7903 8th Ave S Spokane, WA 99204 Virginia Alexander Seattle, WA 98108 23920 57th Ct S Apt B4 Judith Anderson Patrick Annabel Kent, WA 98032 3621 Gundry Ave 818 E Chestnut St Long Beach, CA 90807 Walla Walla, WA 99362 Kathryn Alexandra 4311 Ginnett Rd Kelley Anderson Robert Applebaum Anacortes, WA 98221 6903 Superior St Cir 3229 Lake Albano Cir Sarasota, FL 34243 San Jose, CA 95135 Bruce Allen 190 Sherway Dr Leanna Anderson Aixa Ardin Toronto, ON M9C 5N2 2830 Viewmont Pl Tacoma, WA 98402 Camano, WA 98282 Kathleen Allen Steve Ardire 5900 37th Ave S Linda Anderson Skok, WA 98584 Seattle, WA 98118 642 Crest Ln Sedro-woolley, WA 98284 David Arntson Ralph Allen 1615 208th St SE Port Gamble, WA 98364 Robert Anderson Unit 3 1226 S State St Bothell, WA 98012 So Allen Chicago, IL 60605 90 Grey Hawk Dr Judith Ashley Mashpee, MA 2649 Sharon Anderson 144 Brinnon Ln 1920 NW Mulholland Blvd Brinnon, WA 98320 Teresa Allen Poulsbo, WA 98370 6184 N Fork Rd Mark Ashley Deming, WA 98244 Stacee Anderson 10435 NE Duncan Ln Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026 Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 Kimberley Altenburg 28717 82nd St SE Theresa Anderson David Askew Monroe, WA 98272 206 NE 126th Ave 1710 Dexter Ave N Apt 136 Seattle, WA 98109 Cindy Ambrosius Vancouver, WA 98684 41818 NE Dobler Hill Rd John Astaunda Woodland, WA 98674 Jennifer Andrews 12949 Calle De Las Rosas 9 Creekwood Ln SW San Diego, CA 92129 Arshad Ameen Lakewood, WA 98499 4013 Rolling Green Dr Maria Asteinza Memphis, TN 38125 Bill Angel 73-37 Austin St 656 Kirkview Pl Queens, NY 11375 Sally Ammon Bellingham, WA 98226 25136 120th Ave SW Laila Atallah Vashon, WA 98070 JL Angell 708 Camberley Cir Apt B6 2391 Ponderosa Rd Apt B6 Carlos Andersen Rescue, CA 95672 Towson, MD 21204 Freeland, WA 98249 Jimmye Angell Gail Atkins David Anderson 1144 Alvarado Terrace 6299 Wilson Creek Rd Shandaken, NY 12480 Walla Walla, WA 99362 Raymond, WA 98577 Wendy Atmore Doug Baier 16340 Interlake Ave N 21070 Brevik Pl NW Betty Barats Shoreline, WA 98133 Poulsbo, WA 98370 1710 Donovan Ave Bellingham, WA 98225 Rein Attemann Doris Bailey 316 NW 86th St 229 Bayou Rd Stephanie Barbee Seattle, WA 98117 Lake Jackson, TX 77566 14312 SW 240th St Vashon, WA 98070 John Atwill Keels Bailey 6514 N 53rd St 2116 NE 52nd Ave Pamela Barber Tacoma, WA 98407 Portland, OR 97213 10700 SE 260th St Unit L103 April Atwood Stephen Bailey Kent, WA 98030 6306 SE 21st Ave 4778 Edward Dr Portland, OR 97202 Deming, WA 98244 Suzannah Barbour 727 Jackson St Kym Aughtry Chrystal Baird Port Townsend, WA 98368 85 Quarter Horse Ln 627 7th St SE Sequim, WA 98382 Auburn, WA 98002 Mary Barian 114 Seapine Rd Rebecca Augustin Arlene Baker Chatham, MA 2650 803 N Avenida Serenidad 2324 Blake St Somerton, AZ 85350 Berkeley, CA 94704 April Barker Bellingham, WA 98225 Shary B Darlene Baker 1950 Alaskan Way 1702 271st Ave SE Noel Barnes Seattle, WA 98101 Sammamish, WA 98075 1614 Glennwood Ave SE Renton, WA 98058 David BALL Norman Baker 23 Cedar St 3789 Lost Mountain Rd Tod Barnett Northampton, MA 1060 Sequim, WA 98382 20240 Robin Ln NE Suquamish, WA 98392 patrick BOOT Gerritt Baker-Smith 4130 Beaver Brook Ln 338 Braeside Ave Judy Barragar Dallas, TX 75229 East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 Mill Creek, WA 98012 Katherine Babiak Brian Baltin Tim Barrington 8350 Wooddy Rd 500 13th Ave E 344 N 5th St Port Tobacco, MD 20677 Apt 107 Apt 6 Seattle, WA 98102 San Jose, CA 95112 Phoebe Bachleda 911 Ave A Janice Banks Faye Bartlett Snohomish, WA 98290 14 Maple St 3382 Southbend Pl Barnstead, NH 3225 Bellingham, WA 98226 Dennis Bahr 7425 152nd St SE Lynne Bannerman Tina Bartlett Snohomish, WA 98296 4800 Fremont Ave N 617 Oppelt Rd Seattle, WA 98103 Chehalis, WA 98532 Anna Bascom Timothy Beitel Karen Berger 17970 Thompson Pl NE 42 Villa Ave 4412 Ocean View Blvd Poulsbo, WA 98370 Pitman, NJ 8071 La Crescenta-montrose, CA 91020 Mark Bastian Agnieszka Beletsky 1565 1st Avenue 101 Railroad Ave Richard Bergner New York, NY 10028 East New Market, MD 21631 15515 Yokeko Dr Anacortes, WA 98221 Gina Bates Bryan Bell 40 Apple Creek Rd 628 E 11th St Dr Berko Apple Creek, OH 44606 Port Angeles, WA 98362 2720 85th Ave SW Olympia, WA 98512 Vernon Batty D Bell 1160 Majestic Rd 43 E Weile Ave Sharon Berlin Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 Apt 412 115 Second Street Spokane, WA 99208