PORT ANGELES — An agreement between the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe and state Transportation officials could be reached by March 1, leading to full restart of graving yard construction, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks says.
Dicks, who on Monday met with both sides in the restart negotiations, said they told him they hope to sign the agreement March 1.
“It was a very positive meeting,” Dicks, D-Bremerton, said via phone Monday afternoon.
“The tribe and the state have really engaged and have a clear plan to move forward. I think it is great news.”
State, federal and tribal officials have been negotiating for more than four months on how to restart the project while protecting and recovering Native American remains and artifacts on the 22-acre site.
Construction on the graving yard — a huge onshore dry dock in which components for a new half of the Hood Canal Bridge will be built — was halted Aug. 26.
Lloyd D. Brown, Transportation’s communications manager for the Olympic Region, confirmed the target date — the first specified since negotiations began last August.
“We are targeting March 1 for a signed memorandum of agreement,” Brown said.
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