If Kitsap County seceded from the United States it would be the third largest nuclear power in the world after the U.S. and Russia. Think about it!

Re: Rachel Brant’s front page article June 26 headlined “New Armaments Wharf Proposed at Bangor.”

I went to the environmental impact scoping meeting, one of two held in our area, and was impressed and depressed with the glossy, classy displays, handouts and Navy personnel all primed to convince me the environmental impact of the proposed second explosive handling wharf would be negligible. About 10 of us civilians attended in Port Ludlow (probably fewer than 50 attended in Poulsbo.) Folks, this is huge. We have got to care! The “preferred alternative” calls for 2,600 pilings (imagine!) sunk into the Hood Canal to hold up the new wharf.

The canal is already in serious jeopardy, dying as a result of cumulative human activity.

There will certainly be additional environmental impacts as a result of increased traffic from hauling four years’ worth of construction materials to the site.

Increased activity at the wharf and increased handling of nuclear warheads increases the potential for explosion and plutonium radiation leaks which would directly affect all of us who read the Herald.

The need for an additional wharf is questionable when the current international community’s movement is toward a decrease in nuclear arms and is overridden by the resulting damage to the environment.

Brant’s last paragraph should send us all “Up in Arms!” (an unfortunate saying.) It reads, “ ‘The work could affect marine life, including threatened and endangered species, and the surrounding environment,’ according to the Navy.” Wake up, Kitsap.

Marilyn Liden Bode,

Kingston