The Navy will bring 36 EA- 18G Growler aircraft to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, it announced March 14. It published its record of decision, committing to following the preferred alternative identified in the Environmental Impact Statement without any changes.

The Navy has not addressed mitigating noise and potential harm to historic properties to the satisfaction of many local, state and federal organizations seeking changes to the EIS, including the American Council for Historic Preservation.

Carrier landing practice to Outlying Field Coupeville will rise to 12,000 annually from 3,000, a 400 percent increase. The Ault Field base on North Whidbey will have 88,000 of the estimated 112,100 Growler operations. An operation is either a takeoff or landing,

The Coupeville fi eld provides superior training and the new flight totals aren’t a departure from operations from the 1970s through the 1990s, the decision of record states.

The Navy will invest in noise reduction technologies, also. A statement from Sound Defense Alliance calls the Navy’s actions “an unprecedented move [made] over the objections of thousands of citizens and local, state and federal officials.” Maryon Attwood, SDA chair, recognized the Navy’s historic good community relationships, but expressed disappointment and outrage, while saying “We are committed to continuing to work with our elected officials and people across the state and nation to get the Navy to listen and to achieve a better and sustainable outcome.”

The Oak Harbor Area Council of the Navy League supported the decision in its statement, finding the EIS process thorough, balanced and scientifically based. The League criticized “activists engaged in litigation, impractical proposals and publicity not supported by the courts of factual examination.”

Gov. Jay Inslee expressed his disappointment March 14 that the Navy has not been more accommodating to the community or attentive to the noise problem, calling the jets’ sounds “unbearably loud.” While he called for a way to “fix it,” Allyson Brooks, the state’s historic preservation officer, in her email response suggested “[contacting] Reps. Rick Larson and Adam Smith. It is really in their hands now.”

The state has limited ability to delay the implementation of the Growler expansion.

Brooks represented the state through years of negotiations. Her assessment of the Secretary of the Navy providing $877,000 for renovation of in his letter responding to the American Council of Historic Preservation’s recommendations was “while I appreciate the Navy moving forward with preservation of the Ferry House we felt that other types of mitigation, such as sound proofing historic homes, or the proposals put forward by Rep. Larson were more important given the nature of the adverse effect.”

The Sound Defense Alliance will hold an event at the Anacortes Senior Center April 18 at 6:30 p.m. to “educate the public and build our base to work for a better balance between our military and civilian communities.” It is one of five in the region.