The Record of Decision is now available for viewing.

Northwest Training and Testing Study Area

The land, air, and sea areas of the Pacific Northwest and southeastern Alaska are important to Navy personnel and their families who call these places home. The Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard conduct military readiness activities in designated areas of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, including ocean areas offshore of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California, and in the Western Behm Canal in southeastern Alaska. The Navy also trains and conducts tests in certain areas within the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, and at Navy pierside and harbor locations within Puget Sound.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Downtown Bremerton waterfront

The Navy has historically used certain areas in the Pacific Northwest for training and testing activities, in some cases dating back to 1841. Navy training and testing areas within the Study Area provide a safe and realistic environment for training Sailors and testing systems. The proximity of these areas to naval homeports allows for:

  • Greater efficiencies during training and testing.
  • Shorter transit times.
  • Reduced fuel use, cost, and emissions.
  • Reduced wear and tear on vessels, submarines, and aircraft.
  • Increased safety with closer proximity to airfields, medical facilities, and maintenance facilities on land.
  • Access to established at-sea and shore training and testing infrastructure, such as instrumented ranges.
  • Maximized at-sea training time, therefore reducing Sailors’ time away from their families.

Northwest Training and Testing Study Area Map

In the supplement to the 2015 Northwest Training and Testing Final EIS/OEIS, the Navy analyzed only those training and testing activities conducted at sea and in associated airspace within the Study Area. The Study Area remains unchanged since the 2015 analysis and includes:

  • Established maritime operating areas and warning areas in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, including areas within:
    • The Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    • Puget Sound.
    • The Western Behm Canal in southeastern Alaska.
  • Air and water space within and outside Washington state waters and established special use airspace.
  • Navy pierside and harbor locations within Washington state waters.
  • Air and water space outside the state waters of Oregon and Northern California.

A predominant portion of the Study Area offshore remains outside of 12 nautical miles from the coastlines of Washington, Oregon, and California.

NWTT Study Area MapNWTT Study Area Map
Download Map

The U.S. Navy must train personnel and test new technologies to defend the United States, its territories, and its interests.