The group opposing flight operations at the U.S. Navy’s Outlying Field Coupeville will hold a meeting on Central Whidbey later this month.
Citizens for Ebey’s Reserve said it will be focusing on jet noise and its effect on public health.
The meeting is 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Coupeville Recreation Hall, 901 N.W. Alexander St.
According to a news release issued by COER, University of Washington experts will be making presentations about the effect of jet noise on “children and human health in general.”
“This free educational forum, specifically prepared for this event, is for anyone interested in scientific studies regarding the growing concern for how jet noise impacts our health,” the group said in its news release.
Featured speakers will include Karen Bowman, Dr. Catherine Karr and Nancy Beaudet.
Bowman is a registered nurse, an environmental health specialist and a member of the Washington State Nurses Association.
Karr is a pediatrician with a doctoral degree in epidemiology and master’s degree in environmental health/toxicology. She is also the director of the Northwest Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit.
Beaudet is an exposure scientist for the Northwest Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit and the University of Washington Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic.
Beaudet investigates chemical, physical and biological exposure, and has extensive experience conducting compliance inspections for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
“The more studies that are completed, the stronger the links seem to become between jet noise and adverse cardiac impacts,” she said.
Paula Spina, speaking on behalf of the group, said it is not their intent to press any kind of agenda or message.
It is the group’s hope, she said, that those reviewing the information will join the experts in looking critically and scientifically at the effects of jet noise.
“We did not give them any marching orders as to what to find or how to do their jobs,” Spina said. “If they had come back to us and said that there were no adverse impacts we would have accepted that finding.”
Spina said this event is not intended to be a forum for debate or argument, but strictly an informational session.
“I would hope everybody that could, would attend this meeting and get the facts concerning how noise affects health.”
