Olympic National Park Proposed Boundary Adjustments
On March 17, 2011, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Norm Dicks introduced identical companion bills S. 636 and H.R. 1162, a bill "To provide the Quileute Indian Tribe Tsunami and Flood Protection, and for other purposes."
If adopted by Congress, this legislation would: 1) Transfer 785 acres near La Push to the Quileute Tribe, 2) Designate 15 acres of the Boulder Creek Trail and Campground (the decommissioned 2.2 miles of Olympic Hot Springs Road) as Wilderness, and
3) Designate ~4100 acres north of Lake Crescent as Wilderness (beginning 100 feet north of, and not affecting, the current Spruce Railroad Trail / proposed Olympic Discovery Trail)
Identical bills were introduced last year, but Congress adjourned before acting on them.
Update October 5, 2011: The House version of the bill was amended in committee, removing the 4100-acre Lake Crescent and 11-acre Boulder Creek (former Olympic Hot Springs Road) wilderness additions. The Senate version of the bill, retaining these wilderness additions, remains in committee.
Update February 28, 2012: The bill has become law, without the Lake Crescent and Boulder Creek wilderness additions.
The full text of this proposed legislation and maps of the proposed boundary adjustments are available below.
