For, against Navy expansion meetings

The U.S. Navy wants your “substantive pubic comments” on its plans for Northwest Training and Testing in an area stretching from northern California to southeastern Alaska, including Puget Sound and “certain areas within the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, and at Navy pierside and harbor locations within Puget Sound,” its website states.

The Navy has organized an open house public meeting in Everett on April 24, 5-8 p.m. It is one of three meetings in Washington. Five more are scheduled for California, Oregon and Alaska through May 8.

The training and testing “include the use of active sound navigation and ranging, known as sonar, and explosives while employing marine species mitigation measures. Proposed activities are similar to those conducted in the Study Area for decades,” state mailed and website materials. Postcards were mailed in the Anacortes area from San Diego recently.

The Navy is taking comments on its draft supplemental EIS/OEIS, Environmental Impact Statement / Overseas Environmental Impact Statement. The draft is at: NWTTEIS.com.

The April 24 meeting is at the Hampton Inn, 2931 West Marine View Drive, Everett.

Coupeville meeting against “New Jets, New Flights” Friday

“Fight not Flight,” organized by Sound Defense Alliance as part of its SDA’s No New Jets. No New Flights campaign takes place at Crockett Barn, Coupeville April 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The organizing is in response to the U.S. Navy adding 36 EA-18G Growler jets to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and to quadruple flight operations at Outlying Field Coupeville.

Anne Harvey, event organizer, calls for people to “share their experiences with the Growler jet increases, learn about plans for community action and find ways to get involved.”

Crockett Barn is at 1056 South Crockett Farm Road. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. The program begins at 5:40 p.m. Beer, wine and light refreshments will be available.