Experts Sought for Panel Studying Navy Radar Site

A federal agency is looking for environmental and radar experts to serve on a three-member panel that will evaluate the safety of the Navy’s Surface Warfare Engineering Facility, which Port Hueneme residents say may be emitting hazardous radiation.

Although Capt. J.W. “Stretch” Phillips, commander of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, insists that the five-story radar facility is safe, he said he understands why residents are worried.

First, the Navy admitted last week that it could not find the environmental reports that first allowed the 50,000-square-foot facility to be built. Second, some of the specific information about radar emissions is classified. So residents do not know how much radiation there is or if the levels are harmful.

Although there are several types of radar structures on the roof of the building, officials said they only emit radiation about 5% of the time, and are primarily used to train engineers and fleet members.