| West End: $3.7 million federal grant for Hoh River corridor 2004-09-23 Hoh River, WA - The federal Department of the Interior has approved a $3.7 million grant to purchase more than 1,700 acres of private land along the Hoh River for a conservation corridor, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Bremerton, and state Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland announced Wednesday. The federal funding, part of a $70 million package for nationwide habitat assistance, adds to $3 million awarded for the Hoh River Project last year. The project, a collaboration of two Portland, Ore.,-based nonprofits, aims to put about 10,000 acres of land along the lower 30 miles of the river into a trust that will own and manage the land forever. It has been challenged by some Hoh River valley residents and state Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, who last month suggested Interior is misusing federal funds. Also on Wednesday, the Interior Department awarded a $79,500 habitat planning assistance grant to Clallam County for a habitat conservation plan on the Dungeness River. RELATED STORY: Hoh River preservation idea gets funding September 23rd, 2004 (Washington DC) -- Nearly four million dollars will come from the U.S. Department of the Interior to help buy up 18-hundred acres of Hoh River valley. The money will go toward the Hoh River Conservation project. Supporters say it will create a public private partnership to preserve habitat for birds, salmon and bull trout. The project will use the money to buy now privately owned land and set it aside as a preserve. Opponents call it an unnecessary land grab. Last month, 24th District representative Jim Buck delivered a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton outlining concerns there are already appropriate conservation levels in place at the state level and another preserve was not necessary. Sixth District Congressman Norm Dicks and Washington State Land Commissioner Doug Sutherland both supported the property purchase in announcing the funding yesterday.
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