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<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nHIMARS Missile System on JBLM. (Credit: Senior Airman Jacob Jimenez<\/a>)<\/p>\n “If you live in South Puget Sound, you live in the vicinity of JBLM, a 90,000-acre Army and Air Force joint military installation established in 1917. You may periodically hear noise from routine aircraft and helicopter flights and artillery training. Training generally occurs weekdays, during day and nighttime hours. Weekend training occurs as required” (U.S. Army 2019).<\/span><\/p>\n For those who have not lived in the area surrounding Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) training areas it is difficult to describe the persistent sound of the firing, much like it is describing the rain of western Washington. Sometimes it is a light drizzle and fades into the background as a part of the general atmosphere. Other times it is a \u201cdownpour\u201d of noise that can shake your house suddenly and without warning. In February 2001 an earthquake hit the Nisqually area, and I remember when it started. Everybody in my class was convinced that Fort Lewis was firing and shaking the ground. It was not until the shaking grew and stayed in a continuous motion that anyone reacted appropriately. <\/span><\/p>\n In August 2010 there was a similar situation where a pilot flew a seaplane into restricted airspace around Air Force One. Two fighter jets were sent to pursue the aircraft, and they created a sonic boom loud enough to shake our homes, rattle our windows, and give us momentary pause and concern. I remember thinking to myself that, it finally happened, the base misfired onto civilian property somewhere close. When it became this was not the case I went to check in on a friend but we had both been convinced that it was the base, not because we were scared of the firing but because we had become so accustomed to that being the norm that it was the most logical scenario in both of these cases. Even these scenarios do not take into consideration that JBLM noise pollution could be far worse.<\/span><\/p>\n According to a survey of more than 1,500 residents of Pierce and Thurston counties sponsored by the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership, 23% of people cited noise as the biggest drawback to living near JBLM, yet 77% still said that the base has a positive impact on the South Sound’s economy (Ashton 2015). While many people dislike the noise there is an overwhelming number who feel that the base has a positive impact on the local economy. Certainly there are many secondary jobs created, from civilian contracts and businesses that soldiers attract to the local area. The purpose of this survey was to try and make sure that there continued to be a smooth relationship between JBLM and the neighboring civilian communities, Pierce County Councilman Doug Richardson stated as much saying, “We need to do everything we can to make sure this installation stays viable” (Ashton 2015). <\/span><\/p>\n Still, there are many cases in which noise is louder than the usual equipment sounds or low-flying aircraft. Such was the case in 2015 over Thurston County when there were low-flying aircraft as part of a rehearsal of the 75th Ranger Regiment. <\/span>The Olympian<\/span><\/i> reported that the objections were due to the nature of the late-night mission between 11 pm and 3 am. Having grown up on the base within hearing distance of the Gray Army Airfield, I had grown quite accustomed to the sound of these large aircraft and helicopters, sometimes being able to witness myself the airborne soldiers doing parachuting drills\u2014from my elementary school playground. Having this noise happen at night was not a common occurrence, but it was not completely unusual in my experience.<\/span><\/p>\n However, my area was considered as having a moderate risk of complaints, according to the Fort Lewis Directorate of Public Works (2010), with a high risk (greater than 130 decibels of noise) extending into the territory of the Nisqually Indian Reservation as well as into the City of Roy. This means for every noise complaint that is made by Pierce and Thurston county residents, the worst of the noise is happening to those in Roy and Nisqually who are closest to the impact areas of the weapons training. A Joint Use Land Study conducted in 2015 also showed the zones through which sound from the base is heard and felt in a more physical scale (South Sound Military & Communities Partnership 2015).<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRoy and the Nisqually Indian Tribe have a history of co-existing with JBLM and working to reduce the risk of nuisance complaints. The same is true of Yelm, DuPont, and Thurston County. There is a need for ongoing collaboration between the jurisdictions and JBLM to prevent noise complaints as growth occurs in the region in the coming years\u201d (South Sound Military & Communities Partnership 2015). The map above offers context as to where the louder weaponry gets used, with Roy and the Nisqually Tribe being the closest to those larger pieces of training equipment. However, the map does not include the proposed weapons system known as HIMARS.<\/span><\/p>\nJamie Klas<\/h2>\n
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General Noise Pollution<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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HIMARS Controversy<\/h2>\n