Parlette, England testify in favor of Rep. Hastings' Stehekin Valley Road bill

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8/5/2009 3:42:00 PM

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Chelan County Commissioner Doug England (left) and District 12 Sen, Linda Evans Parlette (right) spoke last week in support of Rep. Doc Hstings’ bill in Congress to allow the relocation of the Stehekin Valley Road from its current location.

Parlette, England testify in favor of Rep. Hastings' Stehekin Valley Road bill
House Bill 2806 would move washed out Stehekin Valley Road to original location

Les Bowen
Editor

District 12 Senator Linda Evans Parlette and Chelan County Commissioners Doug England testified before the U.S. house of Representatives Natural Resources Committee last week supporting Congressman Doc Hastings' bill to allow the relocation and reconstruction of the Stehekin Valley Road.

In 2003, the road was washed out, cutting off the only vehicle route between Stehekin Landing and Cottonwood Camp and adjusting the Stephen Mather Wilderness Area.

An additional 12 miles one way means what were once day hikes starting at the end of the road are now overnight backpack trips.

The goal of Hastings bill is to allow the relocation of the road to the original route, where it's less likely to be washed out.

"There's no net loss or gain to wilderness areas," Parlette told the Mirror in an interview Friday.

Parlette noted that the language in Hastings' bill parallels language from the National Parks Service's authorization to construct a road in the Olympic National Park - a bill the House committee signed off on just weeks earlier.

Parlette and Hastings called the National Parks Service's opposition to the bill a double standard.

"The members of the committee picked up on that," said Parlette.

While much of the public comment about the road has been in opposition, the bill has the support of former Gov. and Sen. Daniel Evans, who authored the original bill creating the wilderness boundary.

Stehekin means "the way through" and Parlette said passing the bill fits with the name's meaning.

She added the original $1.3 million estimated to relocate the road has dropped with the economy and the cost would be lower now.

On the Senate side, Parlette said she is working to gain the support of Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.

So far, she has a commitment from Cantwell to come to the Stehekin Valley road and see for herself what the road relocation would do.

Parlette recognized the assistance of Stehekin residents who provided photos and other information she used in her testimony.

Commissioner England was still in Washington, D.C., and was unavailable for comment when the Mirror attempted to contact him last week.

Reader Comments

Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2009
Article comment by: Eric Burr

Your article supporting the reopening of the Stehekin Valley Road was excellent, as was Senator Linda Evans-Parlette's testimony before Congress. I'm a retired National Park Wilderness Ranger who worked 5 summers out of Stehekin, and I agree with Linda's testimony.

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