Editor,

For months I have been reading about the pros and cons of fighter practice training at the U.S. Navy’s Outlying Field Coupeville or OLF. I am clearly on the con side. The con side feels that an entirely different location for the OLF is in the best interest both for the Navy and for the surrounding civilian neighborhoods. My solution to the problem is to simply relocate the present OLF to Smith and Minor islands. This location would be very similar to what has been done in California by having the Navy aircraft and weapons training done at the offshore location of San Clemente Island, west of San Diego.

As a licensed seaplane pilot, I have flown over Smith Island and Minor islands many times and have viewed them, first hand, as beautiful, uninhabited islands with dozens of seals lying on the sand spit connecting the two islands. I have also sailed past them in my boat for over 40 years. I am aware that these two islands are a part of the National Wildlife Refuge program. They are about four statute miles from the west side of Whidbey Island and about seven statute miles from the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The OLF runway at Coupeville is 5,400 feet in length. Although Smith Island is less than 2,000 feet across, the distance from the east end of Minor Island to the west end of Smith Island is about 5,000 feet, which is about the same as the present OLF runway. My solution is to construct a new Navy runway between Minor and Smith islands and relocate the present OLF to that location.

As a licensed land surveyor and civil engineer for 47 years, I have been involved in many new developments including several runways. I also have been involved in numerous environmental studies during this period. I do consider myself an environmentalist. I am very aware there would be a multitude of aquatic and wildlife concerns in building a runway from Minor Island to Smith Island. I am also aware that the very harmful noise levels at the present location are extremely unhealthy to the surrounding public. No environmental study can truthfully state that the present OLF is not an extremely harmful, dangerous and an unhealthy location. Let us all come together and see if the OLF can be moved to Smith and Minor islands. I know this solution would work if enough of the public and governmental agencies could come together for a win-win solution. Hopefully, Smith and Minor islands could be also open to the public (for the first time) when not being used for Naval training periods.

BILL ROWLANDS

Clinton