After testifying before the House Committee on Natural Resources in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, Hoh tribal members are confident that Congress will vote on expanding their reservation before the session ends later this year.
“It’s just proceeding forward, and we are really glad it is proceeding so quickly,” said Alexis Barry, Hoh executive director.
“I think it will [come to a vote],” she added. “We’re not just sure as to when. We have a commitment from the Senate and House to get it to the floor as soon as possible.”
Tribal Council member Ernie Penn testified on behalf of the tribe before the Natural Resources committee June 3.
Tribal members also testified before the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee on April 2.
Senate Bill 443 — sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Freeland, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace — and House Bill 1061, introduced by 6th Congressional District Congressman Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, both would allow the Hoh reservation — now 640 acres — to expand onto 425 acres of land on higher ground it has acquired and 37 acres of Olympic National Park property.
Move out of floodplain
The Hoh tribe members want to use the land they have acquired to relocate their 300-plus residents out of a floodplain at the mouth of the Hoh River and establish emergency services.
Sand bags are a common site on the reservation since the Hoh River continues to encroach on the residences, eroding more and more of the tribe’s land during annual floods.
The tribe wants the national park property to make the reservation one contiguous piece of land. The Hoh would not be able to develop the national park land, according to the legislation.
Barry said the tribe wants the additional land to be part of its reservation so that it could more easily acquire grant funding to relocate its village.
The Hoh also intend to develop — on the land it has acquired — a fire station that would serve the reservation and nearby residents.
The lack of emergency services is one of the top concerns for the tribe, Barry said.
The 6,000-square-foot fire station — which will include three fire trucks, an ambulance, about 20 volunteers and eventually a tsunami evacuation center — will be built on U.S. Highway 101 about 25 miles south of Forks.
Barry said the ground-breaking for the fire station is expected in August.
Funding for construction of the fire station comes from $623,000 in the state’s July 2009-July 2011 capital budget.
But that money pays only for the infrastructure.
The total cost of the facility ranges from $1.5 million to $2 million, and the tribe is seeking federal grants to help cover the cost.
Barry said the tribe will begin the permitting process with Jefferson County in case the land is not part of the reservation by then.
The tribe is developing plans for relocating its village. It expects to make the move after emergency services are established, Barry said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
