As
many of you
now know
there have been many plans and a variety of mis-information
surrounding the proposed Wild
Olympics/Wild and Scenic
plan. For those unfamiliar with
it, this plan was introduced by
Washington state U.S. Congressman Norm Dicks and U.S. Senator Patty
Murray in 2010. Green party lobbyists from Quilcene, partners
and associates with
the D.C. Pew Environmental
Group, worked closely with Washington legislators to concoct the taking
of our state lands for national ownership to create a bigger park with
extra wilderness, to add to the million acre park they already
could not take
care of.
The announcement of the Pew groups' desire to re-designate our public
Olympic
Peninsula lands for a bigger park was
brought to
the attention of
peninsula residents by a whistleblower.
News came that deals were
cooking, involving the acquisition
of public recreational forestlands,
for other purposes by
the
federal government. Their reasoning was for Extra"
Iron
Clad Protection".
Keep in mind as you read on - Federal protection does not
realistically exist. Extra protection is an invented myth.
The plan was meant to intentionally pass under the radar unnoticed, to
shove it through congress with as little public awareness as
possible. They knew the opposition would be tremendous and would get in
the way of their agenda.
This was a plan that
would negatively affect all bordering private property owners, where
planned designations would overlap and also cut off access to the much
enjoyed open recreational lands. Quinault learned some of these areas
chosen for mock protection, were surrounding Quinault'sCommunity
as well as other areas in Grays
Harbor, Jefferson and Clallam counties.
In fact this plan would
enormously effect EVERY
Olympic Peninsula county through
the designations of Wild and Scenic Rivers alone! THE TAKING
OF
OUR WATERS. Quinault and the other rural unincorporated
adjoining communities, were
simply
left out of the information
loop
The offices of Wa. states
Ex-U.S Congressman Norm Dicks (forced to resign) and both U.S.
Senator's Patty
Murray and Maria Cantwell all denied any prior collusion with the Pew
groupies
amid
rumors of being
"caught in the wind" by the whistleblower.
In fact, we soon learned that
they had a 2 year
jump start conjuring the Land Grab with D.C's Pew
co-conspirators and congressional aids in Olympia, before meeting with
us.
That
was their 1st lie.
This
team
(Dicks/Murray/Cantwell )
purposely
hid their
knowledge, while collaboration with their "crowd" continued along
with pew involvement and reps, to organize the plan and be
its frontrunner to GRAB
IT "and
for
other purposes". Other
purposes indeed.
Note: Norm
Dicks was soon forced to
retire amid
several
scandalous
rumors of misused funds, other impropieties and cover ups.
Earmarks!
Over
time the congressional team brought out a
conglomeration of
several
sets of maps, supposedly with
revisions:
made
just like
the first (courtesy of Pew
Group). However,
these Maps were
topographical
ONLY; an
artistic
rendition at best. Very vague and even more intrusive.
Quinault refused to play this game of charades
by immediately nitpicking
the
details. It was
the consequences of
this
plan that concerned us:
federal park plans that never seem
to
change. ONP has been a continual
burden to the historical
pioneer
communities of Amanda Park, Quinault, Humptulips and Clearwater
for
over a century!
*************************************************************************************
This is
where it
gets serious with us at the Scam
The
problem with new
Wilderness
No
Access.
No
Management. No existing trail repair = No Trails. Catastrophic
fire
danger made worse by "let it burn" Wilderness policies. (In
1964 the Wilderness Act was passed granting just 9.1 million acress
within 13 states) Thousands of
acres each year are consumed by
wildfires in wilderness areas. In one
year 109.5 million acres of
wilderness park in 44 states BURNED. The
wilderness rule is to "Let it Burn". The Quinault Ridge unit that is up
for designation, borders
state Hwy 101 on the west and the Colonel Bob Wilderness area on
the
east
side. The dividing road; an important access link, will be
removed.
This new unwanted wilderness, still will have cell
phone
towers (with an access road for service trucks only) to the
top. Don't bring a bicycle, they are not allowed either within the
wilderness.
This is a Public Summer Recreation Area with 3 connected communities.
Wild designations will actually make any remaining
use
areas more congested, with
more restrictions. The exact
opposite of
the environmentalists intended goals.
Or is it?
Unsuitable
for
Wilderness
Where
Are The Campgrounds?
-Promised since the spotted owl decision? and jobs? Visitors to the
Park have been disappointed year after year, with road and
trail
closures, dilapidated campground repairs neglected and some without
water. Where
did the funds go? We need more recreational
oportunties.
There is no work in the
wilderness. Our Public forest recreation areas are important to
the people who enjoy outdoor recreation. Where has the access gone? and
will it totally disappear, under the even more confiscation by federal
government
over-reachers? PROBABLY SO. They are well on their way already
The Colonel Bob Trail
-
This
very popular Wilderness trail located right in Quinault and closed for
over 4 years. Unable to facilitate
repairs
since a high velocity wind storm took down the
mountain
tops.
First regulations and
then protest from the
environmentalists stopped all efforts. No Chainsaws Allowed! After
years of losing tourist dollars from the impassable trail
VOLUNTEER groups after quite a struggle with crosscut saws, finally got
approval to clear the trail, WITH CHAINSAWS!
The Big
Cedar
Trail
- Just off north shore road, was
closed for
2 months. short trail to the
worlds largest cedar
July
Creek
-Former North Shore campground on Lake Quinault, now day-use only.
Danger of
falling limbs from immense cedars and Douglas firs.
Whiskey
Bend
- Another
important north entrance road to the railhead closed in (2011)
Permanently closed 2015?
Now lost is Pyrites
Creek
Trail, Rustler Creek
Trail, Promised Creek
Trail, Litchy Creek Trail, Tschletshy
Creek Trail, Howe Creek Trail, Finley Peak Trail.
The
Humptulips River
- "Wild Olympics" purposely
crafted their
plans to keep their
short walking trails outside of
wilderness designations, for the benefit of just 1 kind of user,
THEMSELVES. Road
closures exclude all others.
Fair or selfish?
Many river bars that
provide excellent recreation and family camping may no longer be used
with "Wild and Scenic" river designations. There is
absolutely
nothing in this plan for senior citizens. Sunday drives through
the back country won't be possible. The walking loop trails around
Quinault are not wheelchair accessible.
The
Upper
Metheny
- An
area locals enjoy visiting frequently. Road closures have already
sectioned
off vast acreage for the protection of wildlife. This is another very
healthy and productive forest, with rivers and creeks that do not need
more protecting.
Queets
Clearwater -The
main
road in from Hwy101 by the Clearwater School has been cut-short and
closed
for several years from washout. The
campground closed. West
Boundary Rd. is the only south access
into the entire upper Queets river region . The "Wild
Olympics"
result is that this premier
river with it's huge watershed will be inaccessible and unseen by all
but a
very few. Queets Ridge is a
perfect example of a well managed working forest and recreation area in
harmony. Essential school trust land is lost when designated. Future
timber value would easily
dwarf
the $900 million. Mineral Resources are also
found here.
Update
June 2015 - Queets
Wilderness BURNS all summer through Sept. and consumes 2,796
acres of old growth forest.
A small
crew was sent in to monitor the fire before it became out of hand (as
wild fires do). At that point a larger
crew could had to be mustered up and deployed. The fire
burned all the way to the top of the ridge.
Here are Photos from June while the fire is still in it's
infancy
**********************************************************************************************************
The
Colonel Bob Trail-
Scam-essay This
popular Wilderness trail closed for 5 years.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
\
The
problem
with Wild and Scenic
This "ACT" authorizes
the unlimited
purchase of
additional lands: 1/4 mile on each side of the river.
More
restrictions
on use and access will result.
Buffer zones will
be put in place on private lands. (see
SMP)
Pay
Attention
here. It is very important to understand our objections.
Wild
and Scenic Rivers
What
is it about The Wild and Scenic Rivers
Act
inclusion into the Wild Olympics campaign that is troubling? Why are we
being disarmed by the "No Dams" statement,
because it is so obvious and redundant, that a river in this park would
need such protection is beyond comprehension.
Note:
The Elwa
Dam was removed and it is becoming obvious that a huge amount of
environmental damage has occurred sending rippling effects to many
species. The swans of the upper lake disappeared) AND PROPERTY. This is
anything BUT a non-issue, and may prove the most damaging part of it
all. NOW THERE IS A DROUGHT?
The Elwa Tragedy
Designation of
these rivers gives them over to federal ownership
and control, and they can do anything in the world they want after
that. The river is the water and water is the most valuable commodity
in the world today. Why should the people of this state relinquish this
right of ownership? Pure deception by dishonest and corrupt
politicians. A penny per drip.
Once a river is
designated; it goes through the
process to place the sections into one of three categories: Wild,
Scenic,
and Recreation.
This
is to be determined by the Dept. of
Interior or Agriculture depending. It specifically says: AFTER IT
IS
DESIGNATED, then it
will then be decided in certainty.
This guarantees that anything
that is said prior to
inclusion, about whether ANY
part of ANY
river is
to be Wild, Scenic or
Recreation, is meaningless..
They are given one
year to do this
and three
more
for a management plan. Approximations mean nothing.
This is the catch:
The Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act
allows itself to buy more
lands. THEY CAN NOW BUY
LANDS
INDEPENDENT FROM THE WILD OLYMPICS ACT, 1/4 mile on each
side
of the river and if the piece of land is larger? they can buy the
whole thing with the
extra not
tallied into their limits. They can negotiate
deals easily enough. They will buy the land that
can’t be logged! Everybody
should know they are already not
allowed to log it!
Don’t they? Yet they will likely
be paid
for the timber anyway. Sweet deal. (using the Land and Water
Conservation Funds?)
Establishment
of Wild and Scenic
River boundaries:
(from the Intra-agency
Wild
and Scenic Rivers
Co-ordinating Council)
"..have
a legally established boundary. This
responsibility is left to the managing agency to be completed following
designation".
"..an interim boundary will
be established with-in 1/4
mile of the
ordinary high water mark on each side of the river."
"..the
boundary also defines the area in which the managing
agency,
has
land acquisition authority."
"..besides
acquisition,
other
protection tools such
as locally adopted
and enforced zoning laws, donations of
easements to land
trusts and
co-operative
agreements (collaboraters),
are
techniques to be used.
The Park owns the entire
Northshore of the Quinault River
acording to
the high water rule. Refer back to
W&S review: It states
that when the
govt. is in this
position it exerts full
W&S regulations on both sides
of the
river.
Will the Wild and Scenic
Rivers
Act further inhibit us from protecting
our homes
and land on South Shore and the other 18 rivers named?
YES!
S1278
restrictions on
water
resources projects:
"No
department or agency of the united states shall assist by loan,
grant, license, or otherwise in the construction of any water resources
project that would have a direct and adverse effect on the values for
which such river was established."
and once again from the
intra-agency
council....."shall be
preserved in a free flowing condition."
The ONP will only
admit to partial damage they caused at Finley Creek even though
they were the only ones excavating it
We've asked that they fix it and all other
ecological damage they have caused on the Olympic Peninsula. No act
should even be considered before this is done. They now have an
estimated $500
million maintenance backlog for ONP (2014). $12 Billion nationally and
another $11 Billion for the USFS, F&W, and BLM combined. See:Quinault
Restoration Project
Back
to Wild and Scenic; there
is also a CONDEMNATION
CLAUSE. “When
the
private property becomes fully encircled.”
S1277
land
acquisition-
"...grant
of authority to acquire state and Indian lands."
"...lands
owned by the state may be acquired only
by
donation or exchange."
"...nothing
shall
preclude the use of condemnation to clear title
or
acquire
scenic easements
as are reasonable....necessary
to give the public access to the
river."
"...authorized
to accept donations of lands and interests."
Wilderness and Wild and
Scenic Together
Completely Encircles Us
What happens
upstream comes
down. You
don’t need the cost of condemnation, if the river does
it for you.
-muddyshoes
There's a bigger problem
if you live
here in Quinault
Neilton
or
Amanda Park.
We
know "first hand" what a horrible mistake this would
be. The Park has been busy buying properties and demolishing
good homes
on the
north shore for years.
why? Because the north shore was mistakenly included in the
original
Park survey and annexation. AN attempt to return it back to our
community in 70s' failed through a twist of fate. Ironically, a
much slimmer junior congressman Norm Dicks was involved along
with
Senator Jackson to pass this legislation but expiration dates ran short
and then with a new congress in a different mood; refused to ratify the
bill. See The Northshore
Documents.
On
South Shore of the Quinault River ONP deliberately
caused the
river to
destroy a wonderful wetlands/habitat
area and still will not publicly acknowledge their responsibility.
Hydrological reports by the Quinault Indian Nation scientists have
established this connection as FACT. The Alluvial fan function of
Finley was/is disturbed and creating the mess downstream. South Shore
Homeowners were
suffering the results and because it was on private
property; no-one would help to save it or seriously consider our urgent
pleas. State agencies refused. An
ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure. Homeowners here were
further prevented from removing
log-jams and
needed more help to get sections of the river bank fortified by rock
which was
also denied. Meanwhile, the united homeowners took matters into their
own hands (risking
arrest) and
lined the critically damaged banks with huge spruce logs tops which
floated up
with
the rising waters, their limbs fanning the torrential currents. After
several years and nothing but "studies", was there a
cure? Only a possibility of one. A $100+ million restoration
restoration project for the
whole river that will take decades and results wont be known for a
century.
Finley
Creek -Environmental
Damage
ONP alters the natural watershed for their
benefit on the north side of the Quinault River to the
detriment
of
the south side. This
is what has
happened. Scam
essay Documents of proof
of illegal
tampering that
changed the course of the Quinault
River.
Request
for information concerning this 15 year excavation project. We have
discovered they over
extended their usage permit and that much of the work was also done on
outdated
permits. What happens if you do that?
Our
story is; no-one but the park
puts a D9 Cat in the creek bed,
and
changes the river. Lost
habitat
Quinault
Residents And Their History Will Be Removed Next
If The Wild
Olympics Act Becomes Law
Scam Exclusive
Eudies
story: From the book Rain Forest by
Elizabeth Marston.
We
have been permitted to publish this
wonderful account about the
"other time" back in '38 when the pioneers were run
off
their
homesteads to make the Park and given what was a "pittance
for
their
property", according to her
daughter, Phyllis Miller, a lifetime
resident of Amanda Park.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Economic Disaster for
all affected areas
Olympic
National Park News
Release
New Wilderness Stewardship Plan
WE
WERE
there in opposition
They never steward much, will be counting the crushed
dandelions trammeled by use, assessing
trends and limiting
access. That is the Wilderness Plan. WE suspect it to be
expensive as NO LOCAL JOBS will be created, NO new trails opened; which
will be in
agreement with responsibilities to the UN as a World Heritage Site and
Biosphere. They deny this. Just as they denied it in the past.
WE are pleased to learn re-locating
wolves
is NOT part of the plan here at this time. Transporting Wolves however
has been implemented in other parts of the NW and have already been
sited in the north cascades. It doesn't take long for packs to breed
and proceed, creating havoc and decimating the decreasing
wildlife.
Everyone wants a
better
Park! 1 Million Acres of Park Wilderness is clearly enough; expanding
the boundaries, or creating additional wilderness will be a critical
detriment for its protection.
Will Wild and Scenic Rivers have no
impact on the ONP; as the Wild Olympics supporters claim? You will
learn that it will be disastrous, as it impacts all the rural
communities, the property rights of homeowners and more than likely
will wreck more environment. Washington State has even
passed a law prohibiting the picking of wild berries on public access
land w/o a permit of course.
2016 -Read
and heed. It not just happening in
Grays Harbor
Social and
Economic Catastrophes caused by Federal Land Control
ALERT!
A New Scam! - Sept
2014
NO PHOTOS ALLOWED in the WILDERENESS
unless you
PAY?
Where
will
visitors
go?
In
Quinault they will all be
funneled into
the same place, with no place to go!
Campground space is very limited,
rooms
get sold out (in summer
only),
activities are restricted.
You are offered a short gravel packed nature trail where one can dream
of being in a primeval wilderness whilst viewing a hillside decimated
with blown down rotting timber. You may even succeed in deceiving
yourself that this is old-growth timber! Then
plastic
refuse bags will be discarded, gas might be bought and
tourists will drive on to the next corporate
offering. Where will all the unhappy campers go?
Who and What Will The Park
be Advertising?
"Come
see the Wilderness"? ....."You won't have
to leave
your car, because the park says it will bring the Wilderness
to you"! They will soon boast the loop trails have all been
excluded from
extra protection
designations.... But you will be able to comfortably
walk a short 1
mile
trail into the Olympic National Rain Forest for your big adventure into
the wild".
The
few workers in Quinault
are mostly seasonal
and no longer qualify for
benefits .... Corporate Aramark
who bought out our beautiful once locally
owned and operated Lake
Quinault
Lodge, has
instituted an order to reprimand employees who
discuss the controversial issue of "Wild
Olympics" with inquiring
guests who have seen our STOP signs.
"We
are Partners of the Park" says Aramark;
while
striving to become a monopoly for
all
Olympic
Park accommodations, as with
other State
and National Parks nationwide.
Lake
Quinault Lodge
is an historical land mark in our local pioneer community. Since it's
construction in 1926 it served as a roost for outdoor
enthusiasts
visiting the Quinault area. Our Lodge always provided warmth and
welcoming by locals that were employed there.
The
compassion local residents have for this landmark and
it's history is by no means to be taken lightly.
As
one former employee put it. "We love
our
Lodge. We just don't like what Aramark came in and has done to it".
They
took out our Pioneer and Native American furnishings and
modernized
it. I don't know. They removed it's character and the cultural arts it
proudly represented over the years and now
promotes only the Park. It's a whole different feeling". You
can
still enjoy the beautifully hand built fireplace, but the
warmth
and natural atmosphere in the lobby is missing. It transformed into
more of a hotel
then the cozy get-a-way, that made it so popular.
Other
Threats to Our Peninsula Public Lands
The
Nature Conservancy
Note:
2014 The
Natures Conservancy quietly makes yet another land deal with Rayonier
and grabs 2,300
acres of
prime forest resource land on Queets Ridge for preservation
and
conservation.
More
prime resource
land
leaves the tax infrastructure.
The
Natures Conservancy (TNC)
now owns many parcels on the Olympic Peninsula for these same purposes.
Preservation and experimentation on their TAX EXEMPT properties.
Over
$8 billion
In ASSETS
Purchasing
Olympic Peninsula lands? Just say no
Map
of the Clearwater parcel
Why
acquire this? - GOVT GRANTS
WILL EVENTUALLY EXCEED THIS LANDS VALUE
Clearwater Residents
And History Will
Be Removed.
Their
annual pioneer celebrations on the
river bar
may not be allowed. This celebration has been a tradition for over 100
years.
Lake
Ozette
The
loss of these productive lands would disrupt the sustainable harvest
cycles that have taken the last 30 yrs to develop, since the
spotted owl
decision. WE
GROW TREES! A
natural cycle for renewable future resources forever. Mismanagement
has
destroyed private
property and
burned down shelters to be replaced with
improper trail construction. A proverbial Smoking Gun
of criticisms! and more environmental
damage by ONP
Another
Ozette deal
One
of many this year. Why should the
NP buy land from the government granted Cascade
Land Conservancy? Thats not right. They bought it for conservation
reasons didn't they?
Then
let Cascade pay to
manage it!
Dabob
Bay And
another land swap
around
Quilcene. It's all like a big
checkerboard, or is it a sleight of hand "pea in the shell" game?
The
National Parks Traveler
This
describes the La Push land swap.
785 acres for the tribes safety (we were all for that part)
BUT
the 4100 acres was not tribal land. It
doesn't
work that way. So much for so little? A very strange set of accounting
procedures by Miss Cantwell and the ONP. Do
you think they are
happy about giving up
their
beach? Guaranteed on down the line they will regret allowing government
intrusion.
SB3222
The
4100 acres
The
people around Lake Crescent aren't
too happy. SB3222
These homeowners are getting
the same squeeze put on them. Why
this particular 4100
acres land grab? Cantwell/Dicks proposed to help the Tribe,
but
why must this be
at their
expense?
150
Acres of Olympic Peninsula public land;
gobbled, grabbed, and
locked up
for
theTaylor
Checkerspot Butterfly. This
courtesy transfer is from
a military base In California?
By
Pearl Rains Hewett - Read On
We
Respectfully and Rightfully Requested
1.
A
complete list of any currently found environmental threats including
the Finley Watershed.
ONP
will still
not fully admit to their errors in the 15 years of excavation in Finley
creek (watershed runoff) into the Quinault. Destroying while
they
claim to be preserving. Bull
trout habitat was almost destroyed
by
their neglect of their fatal error.
Park
"know
it alls" refuse
to take the blame. They've blamed it on logging.
2.
An
overlay map of the
peninsula including
all
roads and trails,
please
acknowledge and
define areas of the decommissioned
roads,
roads scheduled
for
decommissioning and open
roads.
3.
A
complete data survey of
these areas in question
We
have accurately disputed their proposed boundary
claims; that areas available for tree thinning would
not be included. THEY
ARE. Significant
errors
have been found by our experts.
The
vague claims by
Wild Olympics
Campaign are
unsuitable, as a basis for government regulations that restrict the
freedom of access
to public lands. The negative
impacts on the economies of
bordering
communities will be a disaster.
In
the end,
Quinault is hit hard and being punished for our resistance
we ask for relief, instead we get
MORE
land confiscation.
Since
the creation of the
Olympic National Park, the federal government uses tactics to force in-holders
to become "willing
sellers".
This
myth
might better be explained here. Willing
Seller.
