Public Comment Period to Last Through August 31; Second Round of Meetings Scheduled
To maximize opportunities for the public to be involved in developing an environmental assessment (EA) for the future of the Enchanted Valley Chalet, several public workshops have been added to the schedule.
“We are pleased to ask the public to help us develop a plan for the Enchanted Valley Chalet,” said Creachbaum. “We have drafted some preliminary alternatives that we’d like the public to reflect and comment on. And of course, we are also interested in additional ideas people may have.”
More information, including the purpose and need for the plan, and preliminary alternatives developed so far, can be found online at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVCscoping
The Enchanted Valley Chalet is located 13 miles from the nearest road, deep within the Olympic Wilderness. The chalet was constructed by Quinault Valley residents in the early 1930s, prior to establishment of Olympic National Park. The chalet served for several decades as a backcountry lodge and more recently, as a wilderness ranger station and emergency shelter. The chalet was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 due to its local significance.
The chalet is located on the active floodplain of the East Fork Quinault River, where migration of the river’s channel is common. In January 2014, the river had migrated to within 18 inches of the chalet. The National Park Service prepared a Concise EA for “Emergency Action to Temporarily Relocate the Enchanted Valley Chalet for the Protection of the East Fork Quinault River”.
The selected alternative was to move the chalet 50-100 feet from the bank of the river in an effort to protect the river and its associated natural resources from imminent environmental harm. In September 2014, the NPS hired a local contractor, and the chalet was moved approximately 100 feet from the East Fork Quinault River.
The concise EA stated that the NPS would embark on a separate planning process to assess options for the final disposition of the chalet. This process is now beginning.
More information, including the purpose and need for the plan, and preliminary alternative concepts developed so far, can be found online at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVCscoping
Comments may also be submitted electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVCscoping, or in writing at one of the three open house workshops listed below. Comments may also be mailed to Superintendent, Olympic National Park, 600 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Comments should be submitted no later than August 31, 2016.
Public Scoping Open Houses are planned for June and July as follows:
Monday, June 27
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Port Angeles Senior Center Main Hall
328 E. 7th Street (SW corner of 7th and Peabody),
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Tuesday, June 28
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Amanda Park Timberland Regional Library
6118 U.S. Highway 101
Amanda Park, WA 98526
Wednesday, June 29
4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m
Aberdeen Timberland Regional Library
121 E. Market Street
Aberdeen, WA 98520
Tuesday, July 12
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Amanda Park Timberland Regional Library
6118 U.S. Highway 101
Amanda Park, WA 98526
Monday, July 18
5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m
Aberdeen Timberland Regional Library
121 E. Market Street
Aberdeen, WA 98520
Tuesday, July 19
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Port Angeles Public Library
2210 South Peabody Street (SW corner of Lauridsen and Peabody)
Port Angeles, WA 98362
For more information or to be added to the Enchanted Valley mailing list, people should visit http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVCscoping or call the park at 360-565-3004.
