County outlines progress, federal push for Olympic Discovery Trail projects

Clallam County staff and trail partners told the county trails advisory committee on Aug. (date on file) that several Olympic Discovery Trail projects are advancing and that the county is working to secure federal and state funding before the end of the federal fiscal year. Committee members heard updates on corridor surveys and land acquisition work on the Forks/La Push segment, grant timelines tied to Washington State Department of Transportation and federal reviewers, and a series of smaller construction and maintenance plans along the route. The committee was told that Western Federal Lands has completed environmental and cultural surveys for most of the Forks–La Push corridor and that two small segments remain subject to additional Department of Natural Resources review. County staff said, however, that “we’ve got oh gosh, 98% of the corridor actually surveyed for environmental and cultural” work and that crews will return in September to finish field surveys and allow NEPA work to proceed. County staff said the remaining issues…