BRINNON — The debate over whether to restore the Dosewallips River Road is black-and-white, as Quilcene-based Hood Canal District Ranger Dean Yoshina sees it.
“It’s either/or. It’s one way or the other. Either you’re going to open [the road] or not open it,” said Yoshina at his Quilcene office.
A public comment period on a draft environmental impact statement on the proposed road restoration closes on Aug. 13.
Brinnon leaders support rerouting the road to help rebuild the Hood Canal community’s flagging economy, so greatly dependent on Olympic National Park visitor traffic.
Environmental advocates argue that a new road would threaten old-growth forest land that supports critical bird and wildlife habitat, such as the marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl.
Prepared to challenge any vehicle road alternative, they prefer only foot access into the park.
“We’d like to get past this point in our planning process,” said Yoshina, who describes himself as the point person in the public comment gathering process.
“We have spent many years analyzing it, and I think it’s time to make a decision.”
Comments will be assembled into a final environmental impact statement.
The final decision rests with Dale Hom, Olympic National Forest supervisor, Jonathan B. Jarvis, National Park Service regional director for the Pacific West Region, and Clara Conner, division engineer with the Western Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration.
At decision could come late this year or early next year, Yoshina said.
“We’re moving forward with the belief that it can happen,” he said.
