Navy Says Its Study Shows Port Hueneme Radar System Is Safe

Navy officials said this week that an internal study of its radar facility here proves that the facility is safe for nearby residents, and that it is appropriate to expand the facility’s capabilities.

The study, released this month, was conducted by the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center of Charleston, S.C., at the end of September. Surveyors took measurements of radio frequencies from various points around the facility--including in the surf and in residential areas--and found emissions were below guidelines, spokeswoman Jeanne Schick said.

“We said all along it was safe,” she said. “This proves all along it was true.”

Last May, the Navy decided to ignore the state Coastal Commission’s request that it halt the expansion project, arguing that the Surface Warfare Engineering Facility was complying with state and federal laws, and that the Navy shouldn’t have to go any further to appease the agency.

At issue was the commission’s request that the Navy include a civilian expert on a panel that monitors health issues related to the radar facility.

Critics of the facility said that this internal study has little credibility.

“I think the most important point to raise is that the Coastal Commission voted for an independent perspective,” said Silver Strand resident Vickie Finan, president of the Beacon Foundation, a beach-area environmental group. “That’s what’s lacking here. I question its value.”

A copy of the study is available through the Surface Warfare Center’s public affairs office at 228-6150.