OLYMPIA — Rep. Jim Buck blasted the state Transportation Commission on Wednesday for its abandonment of the multimillion-dollar Port Angeles graving yard project.
“I want to express my extreme displeasure with the entire handling of this situation,” Buck, R-Joyce, told the commissioners during their monthly meeting in the state capital.
“You have saddled us with a disaster after you abandoned the project without consulting us,” said the lawmaker, who said he was representing the 24th District’s other two legislators, fellow Rep. Lynn Kessler and state Sen. Jim Hargrove, both Hoquiam Democrats.
Buck said the Dec. 21 cancellation of the Hood Canal Bridge graving yard project because of the discovery of Native American remains and artifacts on the property puts a “cloud” over the entire Port Angeles waterfront.
At least $58.8 million had been spent on the 22.5-acre project, which was to construct a giant onshore dry dock to build components for a new east half of the Hood Canal Bridge.
Bridge replacement
The bridge replacement project, originally scheduled for next year, has been held up indefinitely.
“We are furious. You walked away from one half of the gas tax increase passed last year,” Buck said.
A response by Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald — who is appointed by the Transportation Commission — further inflamed Buck, who warned of legislation to give the governor authority over the secretary position.
The Department of Transportation had better find innovative ways to deal with archaeological issues arising on other state projects, Buck told the commissioners.
The project started — and idled — in August 2003 when remains of the former Klallam village of Tse-whit-zen were found on the site just east of the Nippon Paper Industries USA mill on Port Angeles Harbor.
After months of negotiations with the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, the transportation agency, federal agencies and the tribe struck an agreement in which archaeological digging and removal of remains and artifacts would be conducted simultaneously with limited graving yard construction.
But as more than 300 intact burials and thousands of artifacts were exhumed, the extent of Tse-whit-zen was fully realized.
The Lower Elwha on Dec. 10 asked Transportation to stop all further construction and archeological digging.
MacDonald and then-Gov. Gary Locke halted the project Dec. 21, upsetting many Port Angeles government and business leaders who weren’t consulted.
24th District support
The Port Angeles officials had the entire 24th District’s clout from both political parties and all local agencies available to help, Buck told the Transportation Commission on Wednesday.
“But we never received a call,” he said.
Buck said those contacts had access to other property for a tribal cemetery.
The Legislature also had access to capital budget and general fund money so gas taxes wouldn’t be used for archaeology, he said.
“And we never got a call” he said.
Transportation Commission Chairman Dale Stedman of Spokane told Buck that his comments didn’t come as a surprise.
But the Transportation Department was being “pushed and pulled” by the state’s congressional delegation and Locke.
“And they all said you have to get out,” Stedman said.
Buck replied: “What are we, chopped liver?”
Stedman said when federal laws are involved, there are other considerations.
‘Pretty apparent’
“It was pretty apparent what we were facing,” MacDonald said.
“I can’t believe they [in Port Angeles] didn’t know this was coming,” he said regarding the project shutdown.
And MacDonald said there was no groundswell of support for a capital budget bailout of the project.
Buck said after the meeting that MacDonald couldn’t have known whether there was a groundswell since he never consulted legislators.
“This shows their misunderstanding of the Legislature’s role,” Buck said
“If their big concern was the feds, it is quite obvious they forgot who they are working for,” Buck said.
Buck said the bill allowing the governor to hire and fire the transportation secretary is moving through the House Transportation Committee.
“Life as they know it is about to change,” he vowed.
The Transportation Commission wrapped up two days of meetings in Olympia on Wednesday after four of the seven commissioners met in Port Angeles on Monday night for a community meeting on the graving yard issue.
The commission took no new action on the graving yard at any of the meetings.
