Due to the commentary in the Forks Forum last week and subsequent articles in the Peninsula Daily News, District Ranger Dean Millett, Pacific Ranger District, issued two letters last week amending the process for community input regarding the Navy and USFS plan for an Electronic Warfare Range in the vicinity of Forks. One letter cancelled the previous comment period and the other extended it to Oct. 10, stating that the action was taken due to renewed interest.
According to the second letter, in addition the legal notice stating this fact will be published in the Peninsula Daily News.
PROPOSED ACTION
The project proposes to allow by issuance of a Special Use Permit of three Operation of Mobile Electronic Warfare Training System (MEWTS) mobile emitters in the Olympic Peninsula on USFS lands (existing roads) to facilitate training in the Olympic MOAs and Warning Area at 12 (twelve) sites.
Those wishing to provide input and have standing (eligibility) during the future Objection period for this project must be submitted to the project lead Greg Wahl at 1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Olympia, WA 98512. If you have any questions regarding the details of this proposal or have comments, contact Wahl at gtwahl@fs.fed.us or 360-956-2375. The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered comments are: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Those submitting electronic copies must put the project name in the subject line and must either submit comments as part of the e-mail message or as an attachment only in one of the following three formats: Microsoft Word, rich text format (rtf) or Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf), and can do so to the following e-mail address: comments-pacificnorthwest-olympic-pacific@fs.fed.us.
In cases where no identifiable name is attached to a comment, a verification of identity will be required for objection eligibility. If using an electronic message, a scanned signature is one way to provide verification. E-mails submitted to e-mail addresses other than the one listed above, in other formats than those listed, or containing viruses, will be rejected.
An online petition in opposition to the Warfare Range has been created by a Port Townsend resident and Forks Chamber of Commerce plans to discuss the topic briefly at the group’s meeting Wednesday, Oct. 1, that will be held at the River’s Edge Restaurant in LaPush.
Forks Mayor Bryon Monohon said, “For anyone that has concerns, I suggest they contact their county commissioners and congressional staff.” He added that he did feel the community should have been better notified.
