The commissioners did not respond to yesterday's question asking if they had walked Tumwater Creek. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners,
As you consider your position today regarding the proposed transfer of the Dungeness and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuges, it’s been framed as a simple choice: either write a letter of support for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe—or decline to do so.
But there is a third option.
Would you consider writing a letter of opposition—or more accurately, a letter of support for your constituents?
More than 1,500 residents have already signed a petition opposing this transfer, raising concerns about the loss of public land that has, for generations, belonged to all Americans. These refuges were established for public benefit and have been managed as such for over a century.
This proposal would transfer those lands into federal trust for a single sovereign entity—removing them from direct public ownership.
It’s also worth stating clearly: members of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe already share in the ownership of these lands—as American citizens. What is being proposed is not shared stewardship, but exclusive control.
Public records show that local governments are being asked to support this effort through pre-drafted letters provided by the requesting party, raising legitimate questions about independent representation and whose interests are being prioritized.
So the question is simple:
If you are willing to write a letter of support for the Tribe, are you equally willing to write a letter in support of the residents you were elected to represent?
I would respectfully ask that you consider standing with your constituents and making your position known accordingly.
Good morning Jeff. I'm wondering why we should contact Rep Baumgartner, who represents eastern Washington? Am I missing something? Thank you for the links though!!!
Good morning, Missy. Good question. I think Jim gave us this advice because Baumgartner represents WA at the federal level, but unlike Emily Randall (our representative), he isn't beholden to Ron Allen's campaign contributions.
He is a Republican for one. They make you go through your elected on the website. Randall is like writing a letter to Hitler to complain about the Germans.
As Jeff has noted, just say the words, and no one blinks. The tribal corporations frame their requests with the high-level words designed to get agreement, yet are devoid of any information that Congress, states, counties, cities, NGO's, or non-profits should be looking for to assess the need.
Tribal Corporations should have to open their books to Congress, and Congress should identify when they're self-sufficient and wish then good luck. Until then this open checkbook policy is a problem.
They have been having success with Democrat administrations. The Department of the Interior is funded and operating as of April 13, 2026. DOI posted contingency plans describing which bureaus/activities continue (essential services like law enforcement, emergency response, some park operations) and which functions may be furloughed or reduced; check specific bureau pages for details.
The Department of Agriculture has cut a program worth roughly $300 million that supported nonprofit groups and tribal groups in helping farmers PURCHASE LAND (under the land access program funded by our Federal Dollars) The Tribe’s account for TWO THIRDS OF THE AWARDS!
Would the cut include oyster and fish FARMING? I don’t know how this is going to play out, but below is today’s Tribal news.
TRIBAL BUSINESS NEWS APRIL 13, 2026
They're not DEI. They're sovereign. That’s what the Trump administration said last year. Federal law agrees. But across agencies, the execution is more complicated these days.
At USDA, a $300 million land-access program — federal initiative open to a range of
applicants, including tribal governments — was terminated after awards were made, halting projects tied to tribal agriculture, infrastructure and capital. The agency said tribes are not subject to the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — while canceling the program on the grounds that “race- and sex-based remedies are no longer necessary.”
It raises a broader issue: What happens when federal programs are reevaluated on DEI grounds and tribes are a core part of the delivery?At SBA, the 8(a) program — where tribal entities account for nearly two-thirds of contract awards — is under scrutiny, with critics framing it in DEI terms, even as lawmakers point to treaty obligations and the federal trust responsibility.
At Interior, a proposed shift in grazing policy prioritizes cattle as “production” while raising new questions about whether bison — including tribally managed herds — qualify for the same access to federal land.
At a minimum, what they said and what they’re doing now are starting to diverge.
Not a direct challenge to sovereignty — but a shift in how it plays out in practice.
USDA terminates land grants, stalling tribal ag projects and stripping millions in funding
A U.S. Department of Agriculture decision to terminate previously awarded land-access grants is disrupting plans by tribal and Native-serving organizations tied to land, capital and infrastructure.
WHAT IS WORSE, DEFACING A POLITICAL SIGN OR OPEN DRUG DEALING? IT DOESN’T MATTER IN CLALLAM COUNTY – ENFORCING LAWS APPEARS TO BE PROHIBITED
RCW 29A.84.040
Political advertising, removing or defacing.
A person who removes or defaces lawfully placed political advertising including yard signs or billboards without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable to the same extent as a misdemeanor that is punishable under RCW 9A.20.021. The defacement or removal of each item constitutes a separate violation.
RCW 69.50.401
Prohibited acts: A—Penalties.
(1) Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s Transition Committee — 2013
Department of Justice Tribal Leaders Advisory Council — Delegate–2010–Present
US Health & Human Services (HHS) Tribal Leaders Advisory Council – NW Delegate - 2013- Present
National Congress of American Indians — President; 1995–1999, First Vice Chair; 1999–2001; Secretary–2007–
2009; Treasurer 1989–1993 & 2003–2007 & 2009-2013; and Delegate; 1977–Present
Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium –– Chairman of the Board– 2004–Present
Pacific Salmon Commission — U.S./Canada Treaty - Tribal Commissioner; 1996–Present, and Fraser River Panel
member; 1987–1996, and Tribal Representative on Finance and Administration Committee
HHS - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Tribal Technical Advisory Group — Co-Chair 2007–
Present; Delegate; 2003–Present
Dept of Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - Tribal Leaders Budget Advisory Council – 1996-Present
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians — Treasurer–1984–1990; Delegate; 1977–Present
Western Washington University’s Board of Trustees — Appointment–2006–2008
American Indian Health Commission for Washington State — Founder and Delegate; 1994 – Present, Washington
Indian Gaming Association — President; 2003–Present
Chairman of the DOI Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee (formed in 1998) WHICH PROVIDES ADVICE TO THE BUREU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS ASSISTANT SECRETARY ON POLICY ISSUES which affect over 200 Self- Governance Tribes. Northwest Delegate on the Indian Health Service Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee (formed in 1996) WHICH PROVIDES ADVICE TO THE IHS DIRECTOR ON SELF-GOVERNANCE POLICY ISSUES affecting over 323 Tribes
THE AQUA FARMING CHESS GAME RON IS COUNTING ON
Jeff Tozzer: "Tribal land is not public land.
Access is not guaranteed. Oversight is not the same. And legal recourse becomes significantly more limited due to tribal sovereign immunity, which generally SHIELDS TRIBES FROM LAWSUITS unless they waive that protection"
2023 “CEO W. RON ALLEN EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN THE CHANCES OF THE SUITS SUCCESS” This is where the Land Back fits in with his aqua farming success and Ron Allen knew it back in 2021 (actually even much further back)
September 22, 2023Divergent outcomes for Cooke, Jamestown S’Klallam lawsuits against Washington DNR
in 2021, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe formed the Salish Fish joint venture with Cooke to develop a net-pen farm to raise native steelhead in Puget Sound, also known as the Salish Sea. It sued after that project became untenable following the DNR’s issuance of the ban. The tribe’s lawsuit has yet to be ruled on, and in an interview with SeafoodSource, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chairman and CEO W. RON ALLEN EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN THE CHANCES OF THE SUITS SUCCESS. He said DNR’s decision impinged upon his tribe’s sovereign right of self-governance and self-reliance, and that Franz’s actions were political in nature.
Jamestown S’Klallam Chairman W. Ron Allen vows to continue fight against Washington’s net-pen aquaculture ban
W. RON ALLEN chair and CEO of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, told SeafoodSource he is continuing to pursue commercial aquaculture opportunities for the Tribe, including ways to restore its right to use net-pens as an extension of their treaty seafood operations.
I wonder, if Mike French would still be fine with property damage when the damage is to his property. If that property damage is OK statement alone is not enough to remove French from public service, our system is doomed to failure. The JST already owns our public land, via their USA citizenship. Ownership is not their goal. Exclusive ownership is their goal; AKA greed. Sovereign nations within a nation is untenable. Either sovereignty or citizenship is fine, but having both is not. If sovereign, taxation and travel restrictions like customs control, similar to all sovereign nations. How much of our road, sea and air travel system sophistication did the JST create ? Let the JST surrender their cell phones and go back to smoke signals. This both/and B.S. does not play.
Subject: Strong Opposition to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Act of 2026 – Unacceptable Risks from Current Co-Managers’ Track Record
Dear Congressman Baumgartner,
I am writing as a resident of Sequim, Washington, to demand that you oppose and block the proposed Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Act of 2026. This bill would hand over full ownership of more than 900 acres of Dungeness and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuges from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into tribal trust status. Giving permanent control to the very tribe that has repeatedly demonstrated reckless, self-serving stewardship of the Dungeness River system would be an irreversible mistake.
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s actions as co-managers have shown a clear pattern of placing their own schedule and commercial ambitions ahead of public safety, flood protection, and genuine habitat restoration. In spring 2022, the Tribe unilaterally breached a portion of the 1964 Corps of Engineers levee on the lower Dungeness River before Clallam County could complete its Phase 2 setback levee. This premature action occurred despite explicit warnings from longtime project biologist Cathy Lear, who had overseen the work for a decade. In her July 11, 2022 letter to county leadership, Lear stated:
“In my view, the Tribe’s actions in removing any portion of the Corps levee were/are premature, costly, and do not reflect conditions on the ground. Removing portions of the Corps levee imperils both the downstream community and the floodplain restoration project itself.”
The Tribe’s decision forced an emergency declaration, triggered tens of thousands of dollars in unplanned county consulting costs, and created documented flood risks to the community. Preliminary modeling showed the floodplain could begin inundating at flows as low as 1,300 cfs. This was not an isolated error — it reflects a consistent willingness to bypass prudent safeguards when it suits the Tribe’s timeline.
The same pattern is evident in the ongoing Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir project and related floodplain work. Sediment aggradation in the rain-shadow lower river continues to raise bed levels due to massive closures of irrigation ditches. Mechanical trenching with heavy equipment is required to carve channels through accumulated sediment, and engineered log jams have not resolved the shallow, concentrated low-flow conditions that leave juvenile salmonids (“char”/smolts) as easy prey for birds. The Tribe’s approach to these federally funded projects has repeatedly favored aggressive implementation over complete flood-safety protections and effective juvenile fish habitat. The Tribe has also demonstrated it will be hostile to any public input given to a "co-managed" project, heaven forbid Congress give them full control.
Transferring the refuges themselves would remove the last layer of independent federal oversight. The Tribe’s co-management has already produced a commercial oyster farm proposal on 50 acres directly abutting the refuge — structures that would attract even more avian predators to the critical river-bay interface where stressed juvenile salmonids enter the estuary. The current federal court order in Protect the Peninsula’s Future et al. v. Haaland (Case No. 3:23-cv-05737-BHS) requires a full compatibility determination precisely because these cumulative impacts have not been properly evaluated.
Congress must not reward this track record by granting permanent ownership of public wildlife refuges to managers who have shown they cannot be trusted to put community safety, flood protection, and balanced ecosystem stewardship ahead of their own interests.
I respectfully request that you:
Publicly oppose the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Act.
Insist that any refuge land status change be preceded by a complete, independent cumulative-effects analysis and compatibility determination.
Direct federal agencies to review the Tribe’s performance on all Hazard Mitigation and restoration grants in the Dungeness watershed.
I stand ready to provide the full Cathy Lear letter, my March 11, 2026 formal complaint to FEMA Region 10, the attached satellite image of engineered log jams and excavated sediment trenches, and my own on-the-ground documentation of current river conditions.
The residents of Clallam County deserve better than to have our national wildlife refuges and river system handed over to stewards with this demonstrated pattern of reckless decision-making and documented opposition to public input. Thank you for your immediate attention to this critical matter.
The commissioners did not respond to yesterday's question asking if they had walked Tumwater Creek. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners,
As you consider your position today regarding the proposed transfer of the Dungeness and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuges, it’s been framed as a simple choice: either write a letter of support for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe—or decline to do so.
But there is a third option.
Would you consider writing a letter of opposition—or more accurately, a letter of support for your constituents?
More than 1,500 residents have already signed a petition opposing this transfer, raising concerns about the loss of public land that has, for generations, belonged to all Americans. These refuges were established for public benefit and have been managed as such for over a century.
This proposal would transfer those lands into federal trust for a single sovereign entity—removing them from direct public ownership.
It’s also worth stating clearly: members of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe already share in the ownership of these lands—as American citizens. What is being proposed is not shared stewardship, but exclusive control.
Public records show that local governments are being asked to support this effort through pre-drafted letters provided by the requesting party, raising legitimate questions about independent representation and whose interests are being prioritized.
So the question is simple:
If you are willing to write a letter of support for the Tribe, are you equally willing to write a letter in support of the residents you were elected to represent?
I would respectfully ask that you consider standing with your constituents and making your position known accordingly.
Good morning Jeff. I'm wondering why we should contact Rep Baumgartner, who represents eastern Washington? Am I missing something? Thank you for the links though!!!
Good morning, Missy. Good question. I think Jim gave us this advice because Baumgartner represents WA at the federal level, but unlike Emily Randall (our representative), he isn't beholden to Ron Allen's campaign contributions.
He is a Republican for one. They make you go through your elected on the website. Randall is like writing a letter to Hitler to complain about the Germans.
As Jeff has noted, just say the words, and no one blinks. The tribal corporations frame their requests with the high-level words designed to get agreement, yet are devoid of any information that Congress, states, counties, cities, NGO's, or non-profits should be looking for to assess the need.
Tribal Corporations should have to open their books to Congress, and Congress should identify when they're self-sufficient and wish then good luck. Until then this open checkbook policy is a problem.
They have been having success with Democrat administrations. The Department of the Interior is funded and operating as of April 13, 2026. DOI posted contingency plans describing which bureaus/activities continue (essential services like law enforcement, emergency response, some park operations) and which functions may be furloughed or reduced; check specific bureau pages for details.
The Department of Agriculture has cut a program worth roughly $300 million that supported nonprofit groups and tribal groups in helping farmers PURCHASE LAND (under the land access program funded by our Federal Dollars) The Tribe’s account for TWO THIRDS OF THE AWARDS!
Would the cut include oyster and fish FARMING? I don’t know how this is going to play out, but below is today’s Tribal news.
TRIBAL BUSINESS NEWS APRIL 13, 2026
They're not DEI. They're sovereign. That’s what the Trump administration said last year. Federal law agrees. But across agencies, the execution is more complicated these days.
At USDA, a $300 million land-access program — federal initiative open to a range of
applicants, including tribal governments — was terminated after awards were made, halting projects tied to tribal agriculture, infrastructure and capital. The agency said tribes are not subject to the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — while canceling the program on the grounds that “race- and sex-based remedies are no longer necessary.”
It raises a broader issue: What happens when federal programs are reevaluated on DEI grounds and tribes are a core part of the delivery?At SBA, the 8(a) program — where tribal entities account for nearly two-thirds of contract awards — is under scrutiny, with critics framing it in DEI terms, even as lawmakers point to treaty obligations and the federal trust responsibility.
At Interior, a proposed shift in grazing policy prioritizes cattle as “production” while raising new questions about whether bison — including tribally managed herds — qualify for the same access to federal land.
At a minimum, what they said and what they’re doing now are starting to diverge.
Not a direct challenge to sovereignty — but a shift in how it plays out in practice.
USDA terminates land grants, stalling tribal ag projects and stripping millions in funding
A U.S. Department of Agriculture decision to terminate previously awarded land-access grants is disrupting plans by tribal and Native-serving organizations tied to land, capital and infrastructure.
WHAT IS WORSE, DEFACING A POLITICAL SIGN OR OPEN DRUG DEALING? IT DOESN’T MATTER IN CLALLAM COUNTY – ENFORCING LAWS APPEARS TO BE PROHIBITED
RCW 29A.84.040
Political advertising, removing or defacing.
A person who removes or defaces lawfully placed political advertising including yard signs or billboards without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable to the same extent as a misdemeanor that is punishable under RCW 9A.20.021. The defacement or removal of each item constitutes a separate violation.
RCW 69.50.401
Prohibited acts: A—Penalties.
(1) Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance.
IS RON ALLEN ACTUALLY NOT ON A CHAIR BUT ON A THRONE OF HIS OWN MAKING?
https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/109791/witnesses/HHRG-116-II24-Bio-AllenW-20190716.pdf
OFFICES HELD DURING TENURE AS CHAIRMAN:
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s Transition Committee — 2013
Department of Justice Tribal Leaders Advisory Council — Delegate–2010–Present
US Health & Human Services (HHS) Tribal Leaders Advisory Council – NW Delegate - 2013- Present
National Congress of American Indians — President; 1995–1999, First Vice Chair; 1999–2001; Secretary–2007–
2009; Treasurer 1989–1993 & 2003–2007 & 2009-2013; and Delegate; 1977–Present
Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium –– Chairman of the Board– 2004–Present
Pacific Salmon Commission — U.S./Canada Treaty - Tribal Commissioner; 1996–Present, and Fraser River Panel
member; 1987–1996, and Tribal Representative on Finance and Administration Committee
HHS - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Tribal Technical Advisory Group — Co-Chair 2007–
Present; Delegate; 2003–Present
Dept of Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - Tribal Leaders Budget Advisory Council – 1996-Present
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians — Treasurer–1984–1990; Delegate; 1977–Present
Western Washington University’s Board of Trustees — Appointment–2006–2008
American Indian Health Commission for Washington State — Founder and Delegate; 1994 – Present, Washington
Indian Gaming Association — President; 2003–Present
Chairman of the DOI Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee (formed in 1998) WHICH PROVIDES ADVICE TO THE BUREU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS ASSISTANT SECRETARY ON POLICY ISSUES which affect over 200 Self- Governance Tribes. Northwest Delegate on the Indian Health Service Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee (formed in 1996) WHICH PROVIDES ADVICE TO THE IHS DIRECTOR ON SELF-GOVERNANCE POLICY ISSUES affecting over 323 Tribes
THE AQUA FARMING CHESS GAME RON IS COUNTING ON
Jeff Tozzer: "Tribal land is not public land.
Access is not guaranteed. Oversight is not the same. And legal recourse becomes significantly more limited due to tribal sovereign immunity, which generally SHIELDS TRIBES FROM LAWSUITS unless they waive that protection"
2023 “CEO W. RON ALLEN EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN THE CHANCES OF THE SUITS SUCCESS” This is where the Land Back fits in with his aqua farming success and Ron Allen knew it back in 2021 (actually even much further back)
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/premium/aquaculture/divergent-outcomes-for-cooke-jamestown-s-klallam-lawsuits-against-washington-dnr
September 22, 2023Divergent outcomes for Cooke, Jamestown S’Klallam lawsuits against Washington DNR
in 2021, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe formed the Salish Fish joint venture with Cooke to develop a net-pen farm to raise native steelhead in Puget Sound, also known as the Salish Sea. It sued after that project became untenable following the DNR’s issuance of the ban. The tribe’s lawsuit has yet to be ruled on, and in an interview with SeafoodSource, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chairman and CEO W. RON ALLEN EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN THE CHANCES OF THE SUITS SUCCESS. He said DNR’s decision impinged upon his tribe’s sovereign right of self-governance and self-reliance, and that Franz’s actions were political in nature.
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/premium/aquaculture/jamestown-s-klallam-chairman-w-ron-allen-vows-to-continue-fight-against-washington-s-net-pen-aquaculture-ban
October 10, 2023
Jamestown S’Klallam Chairman W. Ron Allen vows to continue fight against Washington’s net-pen aquaculture ban
W. RON ALLEN chair and CEO of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, told SeafoodSource he is continuing to pursue commercial aquaculture opportunities for the Tribe, including ways to restore its right to use net-pens as an extension of their treaty seafood operations.
Albert Einstein: “Once we accept our limits, then we can go beyond them.”
I wonder, if Mike French would still be fine with property damage when the damage is to his property. If that property damage is OK statement alone is not enough to remove French from public service, our system is doomed to failure. The JST already owns our public land, via their USA citizenship. Ownership is not their goal. Exclusive ownership is their goal; AKA greed. Sovereign nations within a nation is untenable. Either sovereignty or citizenship is fine, but having both is not. If sovereign, taxation and travel restrictions like customs control, similar to all sovereign nations. How much of our road, sea and air travel system sophistication did the JST create ? Let the JST surrender their cell phones and go back to smoke signals. This both/and B.S. does not play.
The Honorable Michael Baumgartner
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Subject: Strong Opposition to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Act of 2026 – Unacceptable Risks from Current Co-Managers’ Track Record
Dear Congressman Baumgartner,
I am writing as a resident of Sequim, Washington, to demand that you oppose and block the proposed Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Act of 2026. This bill would hand over full ownership of more than 900 acres of Dungeness and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuges from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into tribal trust status. Giving permanent control to the very tribe that has repeatedly demonstrated reckless, self-serving stewardship of the Dungeness River system would be an irreversible mistake.
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s actions as co-managers have shown a clear pattern of placing their own schedule and commercial ambitions ahead of public safety, flood protection, and genuine habitat restoration. In spring 2022, the Tribe unilaterally breached a portion of the 1964 Corps of Engineers levee on the lower Dungeness River before Clallam County could complete its Phase 2 setback levee. This premature action occurred despite explicit warnings from longtime project biologist Cathy Lear, who had overseen the work for a decade. In her July 11, 2022 letter to county leadership, Lear stated:
“In my view, the Tribe’s actions in removing any portion of the Corps levee were/are premature, costly, and do not reflect conditions on the ground. Removing portions of the Corps levee imperils both the downstream community and the floodplain restoration project itself.”
The Tribe’s decision forced an emergency declaration, triggered tens of thousands of dollars in unplanned county consulting costs, and created documented flood risks to the community. Preliminary modeling showed the floodplain could begin inundating at flows as low as 1,300 cfs. This was not an isolated error — it reflects a consistent willingness to bypass prudent safeguards when it suits the Tribe’s timeline.
The same pattern is evident in the ongoing Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir project and related floodplain work. Sediment aggradation in the rain-shadow lower river continues to raise bed levels due to massive closures of irrigation ditches. Mechanical trenching with heavy equipment is required to carve channels through accumulated sediment, and engineered log jams have not resolved the shallow, concentrated low-flow conditions that leave juvenile salmonids (“char”/smolts) as easy prey for birds. The Tribe’s approach to these federally funded projects has repeatedly favored aggressive implementation over complete flood-safety protections and effective juvenile fish habitat. The Tribe has also demonstrated it will be hostile to any public input given to a "co-managed" project, heaven forbid Congress give them full control.
Transferring the refuges themselves would remove the last layer of independent federal oversight. The Tribe’s co-management has already produced a commercial oyster farm proposal on 50 acres directly abutting the refuge — structures that would attract even more avian predators to the critical river-bay interface where stressed juvenile salmonids enter the estuary. The current federal court order in Protect the Peninsula’s Future et al. v. Haaland (Case No. 3:23-cv-05737-BHS) requires a full compatibility determination precisely because these cumulative impacts have not been properly evaluated.
Congress must not reward this track record by granting permanent ownership of public wildlife refuges to managers who have shown they cannot be trusted to put community safety, flood protection, and balanced ecosystem stewardship ahead of their own interests.
I respectfully request that you:
Publicly oppose the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Act.
Insist that any refuge land status change be preceded by a complete, independent cumulative-effects analysis and compatibility determination.
Direct federal agencies to review the Tribe’s performance on all Hazard Mitigation and restoration grants in the Dungeness watershed.
I stand ready to provide the full Cathy Lear letter, my March 11, 2026 formal complaint to FEMA Region 10, the attached satellite image of engineered log jams and excavated sediment trenches, and my own on-the-ground documentation of current river conditions.
The residents of Clallam County deserve better than to have our national wildlife refuges and river system handed over to stewards with this demonstrated pattern of reckless decision-making and documented opposition to public input. Thank you for your immediate attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Have to get declarations for the gouging of sediment trenches without permits.