OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks toured Olympic National Park’s visitor centers in Forks and the Hoh Rain Forest, then vowed to press congressional leaders to better fund the park’s heavily used and understaffed services.
“I’m going to ask for additional money for park operations,” Dicks said firmly following an hour-long hike along the Hoh Rain Forest’s popular Hall of Mosses and Spruce trails.
There, he saw everything from some of the world’s largest trees to maples draped in club moss.
The veteran congressman even pondered a lowly banana slug along the trailside.
Dicks, senior Democrat on the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, said seeing firsthand the needs at Olympic National Park motivates him to press for more funding.
“There is not enough money” to cover increases in salaries, insurance and fuel costs, Dicks said after meeting with park officials at the administrative offices in Port Angeles.
While shying away from increasing park entry fees — which Dicks said would not be palatable to the public — the congressman called for redirecting money for proposed projects to the park system’s general funds.
Dicks in recent years has led an effort in Congress to increase resources for staffing, facilities and maintenance of the 387 federally run parks nationwide.