A hand-written petition supporting the Navy and its touch-and-go operations at Outlying Field Coupeville started in August and has gained roughly 4,940 signatures, according to organizer and Navy veteran Mac McDowell.

McDowell said that his goal was to reach 5,000, but that the slightly lower number was “good enough.”

He said he planned to send the petition to Navy leaders in Washington D.C. by Oct. 18.

Recent pro-Navy efforts, which have included an online petition and rallies, are responding to complaints from some Coupeville residents about the noise associated with jet touch-and-go landing practices at OLF.

The complaints were followed by a federal lawsuit filed by a Coupeville-based citizens group hoping to compel the Navy to complete a new environmental impact study and suspend operations in the meantime. The group’s website is calling for a complete closure and relocation of OLF.

Whidbey Island Naval Air Station is in the process of phasing out the EA-6B Prowler and replacing it with the EA-18G Growler, an aircraft the group claims is louder.

The petition first appeared for signatures at the Aug. 10 car show in Oak Harbor and was available outside of Walmart last weekend.

“We want to show our support to the Navy and to OLF and the operations they perform there,” McDowell said.

McDowell said his petition is not intended to replace an already-existing online petition.

“This is just a snail-mail version,” he said.

At press time the internet-based Save OLF Coupeville petition at www.ipetitions.com had 1,620 signatures.

McDowell said the most interesting part of his signature gathering has been the feedback he has received from Coupeville residents who live near OLF, but say they aren’t bothered by the noise.

“The most satisfying thing was hearing from people from Coupeville that they knew what they were getting, and they don’t mind the noise. It was very eye opening,” McDowell said.

“Sometimes I think it’s just Oak Harbor (that supports the Navy) but that’s just not the case.”