Credit for bringing this to my attention: Steve (nukuhead) in Naturist_Hikers.
Little known or paid attention to is the Draft General Management Plan & Environmental Impact Statement for the future management of Olympic National Park that is now in it's final 90-day Public Comment Period. In the proposed GMP/EIS Park Officials present four Alternatives:
- Alternative A - The Current Management (do nothing alternative)
- Alternative B - Resource Protection Emphasis
- Alternative C - Visitor Opportunies Emphsis
- Alternative D - Preferred Alternative (a combination of B & C)
One short paragraph catches the eye in Alternatives B, C and D:
The visitor constructed hot springs pools at the Olympic Hot Springs site would be removed, and the area would be restored to a natural state.
Please note that the hot springs, as they exist now, are not on the Park's plans for remaining. Alternative A is the fall-back plan . . . the 'do nothing' should either of the other three muster enough opposition. The Draft Statements can be read
here, and more specifically the map of the Elwa area containing the hot springs and the position of removing the pools,
here (1.6mb pdf file).
The Public Comment Period ends Sep 15, 2006, so there is limited time to make your views known. You can comment directly on the
Parks Site, or you can attend one of the two remaining open houses on the proposed plan below. Washington State has too few hot springs . . . don't let us lose another one. Make your views known! I will be at the REI event on Wednesday.
Public Open Houses
| Public Open House for Draft General Management Plan - Shelton | Public Open House - Shelton
| | Description: The park superintendent and members of the planning team will be present to answer questions and accept your comments about the Draft GMP/EIS. There will be displays, copies of the plan and other handout materials available. | Meeting Directions: From Bremerton take Highway 3 south to Shelton. At Shelton turn Left onto N. Front Street/WA 3. Turn Right onto E. Railroad Ave. Continue to follow E. Railroad Ave to S. 5th Street. Turn Left onto S. 5th Street. Turn Right onto W. Cota.
From the Olympic Peninsula follow Highway 101 to Shelton. Take the West Franklin Street Exit and travel East. Take a Left onto West Railroad Avenue and then a Right onto S. 7th Street. Follow this to West Cota and take a Left on West Cota. | Google Map |  | | Date | Start Time | End Time | Location | | 08/23/2006 | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Shelton Civic Center
525 West Cota Street
Shelton, Washington
360-426-2842 | |
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| Public Open House for Draft General Management Plan - Seattle | Open House - Seattle
| | Description: The park superintendent and members of the planning team will be present to answer questions and accept your comments about the Draft GMP/EIS. There will be displays, copies of the plan and other handout materials available. | | Meeting Directions: The REI Main Store is located on the west side of Highway 5 - Take Exit 166 and travel north (take a right) onto Eastlake Avenue to Thomas Street. Turn Left onto Thomas then Left onto Yale. The parking garage is located off Yale Street between John Street and Thomas Street. | Google Map | | | Date | Start Time | End Time | Location | | 08/24/2006 | 5:00 PM | 8:00 PM | REI - Seattle
222 Yale Street
North
Seattle, Washington
206-223-1944 | | |
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