PORT ANGELES — The Jamestown S’Klallam tribe, based in Blyn, wants an active role in the environmental cleanup and redevelopment of Rayonier Inc.’s former pulp mill site in Port Angeles.
Port Angeles Harbor-Works Development Authority Executive Director Jeff Lincoln said he has invited Jamestown S’Klallam staff to attend all meetings regarding the 75-acre property that also involve the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, which is based near Port Angeles.
That includes a meeting Thursday at City Hall with city of Port Angeles, Port of Port Angeles, state Department of Natural Resources, Lower Elwha Klallam and Harbor-Works staff to update each other on actions related to the Rayonier property at the end of Ennis Street, he said.
The invitation comes after Jamestown S’Klallam Chairman Ron Allen sent an e-mail to Lincoln on Aug. 12 requesting that the tribe be able to become more involved.
The property — which has been a state Department of Ecology cleanup site since 2000 — is culturally important to both tribes, they say.
It’s the former site of a Klallam village, Y’Innis, and artifacts and burials are known to be buried there.
Because of its cultural ties to the land, the Lower Elwha Klallam has been a partner in the cleanup of Rayonier’s property and nearby harbor sediment from the beginning.
But the cultural heritage of the property is just as important to the Jamestown S’Klallam, Allen said, which is why the tribe wants to be more of an active participant rather than standing more or less on the sidelines.
“We want to point this out to [Harbor-Works] that it’s not a Lower Elwha village down there. It’s a Klallam-S’Klallam village,” he said.
The Lower Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam and Port Gamble S’Klallam, located in North Kitsap County, were each part of the same Klallam tribe before the Treaty of Point No Point in 1855, and share the same language, heritage and family ties.
Lincoln said he also has invited the Port Gamble S’Klallam to future meetings but has not received a response.
Allen said the purpose of his letter to Lincoln was to show that the Jamestown S’Klallam has “equal interest” in the protection of cultural resources at the property.
Lincoln said Harbor-Works respects the sovereignty of all tribes and will include the Jamestown S’Klallam as the public development authority moves to acquire the land and determine how it will be reused.
“Any time we invite the Lower Elwha, we will invite Jamestown,” he said.
The city created Harbor-Works, with support from the Port of Port Angeles, in May 2008 to acquire Rayonier’s 75-acre former mill site and redevelop the property.
Along with that, the public development authority is expected to assist in the environmental cleanup of the land. Exactly to what extent is dependent upon negotiations with Rayonier.
Between two tribes
Lincoln added that how involved the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe will be involved must be determined between its members and those of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
The two tribes have always worked closely when it comes to the Rayonier site, and are in agreement on the importance of protecting cultural resources, Lower Elwha Klallam Chairwoman Frances Charles said.
“Their interest is our interest; our interest is their interest,” said Charles, referring to the tribes’ history at the site.
The Jamestown S’Klallam tribe can’t be included in the Lower Elwha’s agreements with Ecology and Rayonier without renegotiating them, Charles said, adding that such a move would not be too practical at this point.
But she expected the working relationship between the two to continue as the Jamestown S’Klallam gains more of a voice at the table with other parties involved in the cleanup and redevelopment of the property.
Lincoln said Harbor-Works will conduct an archaeological study — expanding upon one done by Rayonier in 1997 — before any redevelopment occurs on the property.
He said that will happen once it is known how the property will be developed.
“Once a redevelopment scheme is considered, then there will be another archaeological assessment of the site,” Lincoln said.
Rayonier conducted its survey before dismantling the mill in the same year.
The mill operated for 68 years when it closed.
The Environmental Protection Agency called the property it sat on as moderately contaminated in 2000 with PCBs, dioxins and other pollutants from the mill.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.