page_title: Naval Outlying Field Coupeville
section_title: Environmental concerns
hierarchical_section_title: Naval Outlying Field Coupeville / Environmental concerns
caption_attribution_description: English: Map showing sound from Naval Outlying Field Coupeville
context_page_description: Naval Outlying Field Coupeville—or NOLF Coupeville— is a military airport located two miles southeast of Coupeville, Washington, in Island County. The airfield is owned and operated by the United States Navy. NOLF Coupeville nearly touches State Route 20 and is about 10 miles south of the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
context_section_description: Jet noise has been an on and off concern to residents living near the Navy jet training field.  In July 2013, a local citizens' group filed a lawsuit asking for an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) examining EA-18G Growler flight operations at NOLF Coupeville and NAS Whidbey Island.  By 2014, the Navy had initiated an ongoing EIS to, "Evaluate the potential environmental effects associated with ongoing and future Growler operations at NAS Whidbey Island’s Ault Field and Outlying Landing Field (OLF) Coupeville."  In September 2013, the citizens' group placed the litigation on hold until the study was completed.
  The study was completed in March of 2019 and approved an increase in OLF Coupeville use to 12,000 Touch-and-go landings per year at OLF Coupeville from the previous 3,000+ and "an increase from approximately 90 hours (1 percent of total hours per year) to 360 hours (4 percent of total hours per year) in aircraft activity at OLF Coupeville." The decision received mixed community reviews.   At least one citizens' group opposed to the flight operations has publicly pledged to keep protesting the OLF's use.  The protests have grown to a point where one group - Citizens of Ebey's Reserve - initiated litigation in US Federal District Court, as did the Washington State Attorney General's Office separately concerned about National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act compliance.
caption: Map showing dB levels to areas surrounding NOLF Coupeville[5]
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