Commissioner Franz continues to work against the concerns of the local constituents. And this woman wants to be governor?
Timber Sale threatens drinking water access, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity – Washington DNR ignores community requests to pause logging.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 30, 2023
Contacts: Elizabeth Dunne, Esq., Director of Legal Advocacy, Earth Law Center edunne@earthlaw.org
Port Angeles, WA – On June 30, 2023, a coalition of groups–Earth Law Center, the Center for Whale Research, and the Keystone Species Alliance–filed a notice of appeal to challenge the “Power Plant” timber sale, currently set to be auctioned on July 26th, 2023, by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The proposed “Power Plant” timber sale is a 126-acre timber sale that borders popular recreation routes such as the Olympic Adventure Trail, the Colville MBT, the trail to access the old lower dam site, and nearby climbing areas.
The forest is in close proximity to the Elwha River with a diverse mix of Douglas fir and Western redcedar, many at least a hundred years old, and a diverse, naturally regenerated understory. This timber sale is incompatible with the restoration of the iconic Elwha River, which underwent the largest dam removal in US history, completed in 2014. $327 million of federal funding has been invested in the river’s restoration to date. The legal action alleges that DNR has systematically engaged in extensive logging of older legacy forests in the Elwha River Watershed without studies or consideration of impacts to instream flows, groundwater recharge, and water temperature. Past, current, and future planned timber sales will remove hundreds of acres of forest.
The lawsuit also alleges that DNR failed to consider how the logging could impact this critical riverine wildlife corridor, soil health, salmon and orca populations, and ongoing Elwha river restoration. The Elwha River is City of Port Angeles’ residents only source of drinking water
The forest is in the headwater area for Colville Creek and small tributaries of the Elwha River, areas critical for the recharging of groundwater to feed these streams. The Forest, its streams, and the rejuvenating Elwha River work together to support two keystone species: returning salmon populations and the critically endangered Southern Resident Orcas, who depend upon consuming salmon for their survival. Given their proximity to the Elwha River, these older forests provide critical habitat for endangered and threatened species, including Southern Resident orcas, Chinook salmon, and the Marbled murrelet. In fact, a juvenile Marbled murrelet was recently found just miles from the proposed harvest.
The legal action specifically identifies Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz’ pattern of skirting community input to push through unlawful timber sales, including the Power Plant sale. This forest could be saved today if Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz directed the harvest to stop.
Community groups launched an ambitious campaign today to raise funds to negotiate for the protection of the forests from imminent logging. Pledged funds from the “Elwha Forest Fund” will go solely to replace the revenue that would have come from the extractive timber harvest auction.
This legal action is by no means the first action taken by community groups in opposition to timber sales in the Elwha watershed. In addition to public comments formally submitted to DNR, community members have come out in droves to DNR’s meetings to speak during the open comment periods in opposition to this timber sale. Additionally, on March 5, 2023, over a hundred community members, largely from Port Angeles, the lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Jamestown S’klallam Tribe, the Lummi Nation, and surrounding areas in the Olympic Peninsula, joined together in a peaceful rally at the Elwha River Observation Area near an active timber harvest site called “Aldwell.” Aldwell was logged earlier this year by the DNR.
The Port Angeles City Council in particular submitted letters to DNR to plead for the “Aldwell” auction to be put on hold. Despite community advocacy, DNR and Commissioner Hilary Franz did not adhere to local concerns and logged “Aldwell” without meaningfully considering community input. The city once again wrote to Franz to request delaying the auctions for “Power Plant” and “TCB23,” along with letters from many concerned local residents. For example, see the Mayor’s June 1, 2023 letter about the Power Plant sale.
Filed under: Clallam County, Environmental Activism, Environmental Protection |
THIS CLEARS UP ONE THING – Who does NOT get my vote for governor.