Washington State Parks will not be the backdrop for Navy SEAL training. A judge made the decision last week which ruled against an earlier decision to allow the training at up to 28 parks. Last year the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission voted 4-3 to approve the Navy’s proposal. Park goers mentioned a fear of SEAL watching them without their knowledge or consent.
Thurston County Superior Court Judge James Dixon said the commission’s earlier decision was illegal and outside its purview. The Whidbey Environmental Action Network sought the judicial review of the commission’s decision. Judge Dixon also ruled that the commission violated the State Environmental Policy Act by not considering fully how the trainings could deter visitors.
The decision factored in that opponents often said the presence of out-of-sight SEAL trainees would incite a “creepiness factor,” removing a sense of calm often found in nature. Judge Dixon stated that after thinking for days, including on his drives to work, he couldn’t come up with a better legal term than that. “It is creepy,” he said. “The argument that, ‘Look, judge, no harm, no foul,’ in this court’s analysis falls on deaf ears.”
On the other side, attorneys for the commission argued that surveillance of the public is prohibited. This, the attorney states, negates the unease of the public. Formerly, permits allowed SEAL trainees to enter five state parks.
Coronado is southern California is a well known training base for the SEALS. According to Navy officials, Washington coastlines account for some of the only cold water training in the U.S., including limited training in Alaska. Navy officials talked about why Washington was important. Washington’s natural landscapes provide critical cold water training for SEALs. The coastlines pose challenges to SEAL trainees that are difficult to find elsewhere.
