WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Barack Obama signed into law Monday a bill that expands the Quileute tribe’s boundaries in LaPush so that it can move its school and other facilities to higher ground out of the tsunami zone.
The White House announced that Obama signed HR 1162, which was approved 381-7 by the House on Feb. 6 and unanimously by the Senate on Feb. 13.
The legislation gives the tribe 785 nearby acres of Olympic National Park, including 275 acres where the tribal headquarters, school day-care center and elder center can move, and 510 acres of ceremonial land to resolve a decades-long boundary dispute with the park.
Tribal spokeswoman Jackie Jacobs said tribal members felt justice had been done.
“We mark today as one of justice for the Quileute people, and [today] the [tribal] chair will be meeting with the federal agencies and congressional staff on implementation of the legislation,” she said.
“This has been a long, hard struggle, but I think it’s a great outcome, and it will lead to the protection of the tribe in the future,” said 6th District U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, who sponsored the legislation and whose district includes Clallam and Jefferson counties.
The legislation also was backed by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace, and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Bothell.
It might not be until 2017 that most construction is completed in the higher elevation area because of all the planning that’s involved, tribal interim Executive Director Larry Burtness said Monday.
Tribal Chairman Tony Foster, who was not available for comment, will be in Washington, D.C., today to meet with officials to discuss “ways to accelerate the relocation of the tribe,” Jacobs said.
In return for the land, the tribe will allow unfettered public access to Olympic National Park beaches reached by paths that go through tribal land.
The 40 residents who live in the tsunami zone will be given the opportunity to move to the higher elevation, Jacobs said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.