WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. – A legal battle has paused Navy SEAL training in Washington State parks.
Fox News reports the Navy SEALs have been using the parks for 30 years for cold water training.
However, residents of Whidbey Island wrote to state regulators voicing their concerns about the training.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has since voted 4-3 to scale back Navy SEALs training.
That vote prompted a lawsuit that’s currently working its way through the courts aimed at completely blocking the use of state parks.
Residents say the parks are meant for use by the public and they shouldn’t have to worry about military training while they’re enjoying the outdoors.
During an anonymous comment period, one resident said that the Navy has destroyed the local community with jet noises and war games.
But a Navy spokesman says the area provides a unique cold-water and terrain environment that’s necessary for Navy SEAL training.