U.S. Navy: Welcome to the Pacific Northwest Electronic Warfare Range (formerly known as Olympic National Park)

The Navy wants to vastly expand its Electronic Warfare testing range to include Olympic National Park, among other unspoiled wilderness areas in western Washington.  The Navy has already been conducting similar tests in a remote region of Idaho, but for reasons that keep changing with every public statement they make, they now want to move — and exponentially expand — this operation to Olympic National Park.

The Navy has been trying to keep everything hush hush; this scheme has been in the works for awhile now.  Every time a bit more information leaks out, a Navy spokesperson will recite a few soothing doublespeak “there there now” talking points to calm the masses.  A groundswell of public alarm is slowly building, but it's been a slow process.

The deafening noise of low-flying jets — hundreds a day — would create deadly hazards to birds, bats and marine wildlife, not to mention the millions of tourists who would stop visiting Olympic National Park and other wilderness areas.  And there are countless horror stories of what the electronic testing in the park could do to people and wildlife.  A lot more research is needed.  The truth is probably somewhere between the worst of the horror stories and the Navy's dismissive “sheesh, you have a microwave in your kitchen, right?  Same thing.  Don't be such a pussy” talking points.

After attending a local meeting last night, my attitude has gone from “hmmm, that sucks” to “Holy Shit!  WTF are we gonna do?!?!?!”

I'll probably be doing a lot more posts on this subject as I learn more; i.e. as the Navy scrambles into Damage Control mode every time another bit of information leaks out.  I'll try not to bore the beejesus out of my readers (both of you) by obsessing over the same subject, but this is dire.