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Lower Elwha Klallam leaders, lawmakers push bill to transfer park lands into tribal trust
Summary
Witnesses and members testified in support of HR 2388 to transfer about 1,100 acres of National Park Service land into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to support cultural stewardship and ecosystem restoration after dam removals.
Representative Carolyn B. Maloney? (note: transcript identifies as "Ms. Randall" — see speakers) and other members introduced HR 2388, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act, which would place approximately 1,100 acres of National Park Service land into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
"The Elwha River is our lifeblood," Chairwoman Francis Charles said in testimony. She described the cultural, ceremonial and ecological importance of lands inundated by the Elwha Dam and the tribe's long campaign for dam removal and restoration. Chairwoman Charles said the tribe has been actively involved in river restoration since the passage of the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act in 1992 and the dam removals completed by 2014.
Charles told the subcommittee the tribe seeks stewardship over ancestral sites and to continue restoration work for salmon fisheries. She said the tribe has received letters of support from the Makah Tribe, the City of Port Angeles and the Washington State Department of Transportation and that section 3 of the bill includes language to protect treaty rights and accommodate sister tribes' interests.
Representative Kim Schrier? (transcript lists Representative Randall) praised Chairwoman Charles's leadership and said the transfer would "protect sacred and cultural lands, continue restoration efforts for the ecosystem and help address a decade long battle" tied to the dam removals.
Committee members asked about ongoing restoration activities and the relationship between land stewardship and tribal sovereignty. Chairwoman Charles described interagency work with the National Park Service and NOAA Fisheries and explained that trust transfer would allow the tribe to manage cultural sites and fisheries restoration directly.
A letter of support from the National Parks Conservation Association was entered into the record by unanimous consent. The subcommittee took no final action; members asked witnesses to submit additional written information to the record.
