Editor,

Thankfully, the front page article in the Dec. 11 issue of the Whidbey News-Times supplied some badly needed information about the Navy OLF controversy.

The article articulated several important facts, including the following: in 1992 Island County adopted a noise disclosure ordinance to ensure that home owners are informed of what to expect, and that in certain areas noise levels from aircraft may exceed 100 decibels; Island County real estate agents currently provide home buyers in certain zones with a noise disclosure notice stating that persons may be exposed to a significant noise level from airport operations, and; the Navy has an existing document recommending that residential development not occur within certain zones with an annual average level of 65 decibels.

The document further recommends “the community land use regulatory agency needs to enact land use controls to ensure the highest degree of health, safety and welfare of their constituents.”

This doesn’t sound like the Navy is careless about the health and welfare of civilian residents, contrary to the claims of COER, the small activist group that is currently suing the Navy.

It’s also clear that restricted development of residential properties within certain noise zones on Whidbey Island is the responsibility of local government and not the Navy.

Unbiased logic would lead most people to conclude that the local activists are gunning for the wrong target.

But then perhaps they have ulterior motives they’re afraid to admit.

David Howe

Greenbank