News Release

Public Invited to Review and Comment on Plan for Enchanted Valley Chalet

Date: July 2, 2020
Contact: Penny Wagner, 360-565-3005

The National Park Service released an environmental assessment (EA) for the final disposition of the Enchanted Valley Chalet for a 30-day public review and comment period on Thursday, July 2, 2020. This EA, which incorporates responses to comments received during the public scoping process in 2016, evaluates impacts of the proposed project on cultural and natural resources, wilderness character, and visitor use and experience.

During the public comment period, the National Park Service (NPS) will host one virtual public meeting where Olympic National Park staff will conduct a presentation on the EA followed by a question and answer session. The meeting will be held from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm PDT on Wednesday, July 15.

The purpose of the project is to determine the final disposition of the Enchanted Valley Chalet, located 13 miles up the Quinault River from the Graves Creek Trailhead within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The chalet rests on the active floodplain of the Quinault River.

In early 2014, the bank had come to within 18 inches of the chalet. At that time, the park prepared a concise EA for the “Temporary Relocation of the Enchanted Valley Chalet for the Protection of the East Fork Quinault River.” In September 2014, the chalet was temporarily moved approximately 100 feet from the riverbank until a long-term decision could be reached through the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act processes. The chalet currently remains on the steel I-beams that were used to move it and is closed to public and administrative use. The bank has once again eroded to within approximately 5 feet of the nearest corner of the chalet, and the nearest portion of the river channel is about 10 feet from the bank.

The EA analyzes three options which include a no action (current management) alternative, to dismantle and remove the Chalet, or relocate the Chalet to another location on the terrace. The NPS preferred alternative is to dismantle and remove the Chalet.

The EA will be available beginning July 2 for review and comment on the project planning website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ONPEVCEA2. Comments may be submitted directly on this site by clicking on "Open for Comment" and following the links to review the document and submit a comment. Comments will be accepted starting Thursday, July 2 through 11:59 p.m. MDT on Sunday, August 2, 2020.

Comments on the EA can also be mailed or hand-delivered to: Olympic National Park, Attn: Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum, Enchanted Valley Chalet EA, 600 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, Washington 98362.

Comments submitted by phone or email will not be accepted. Comments submitted on behalf of other individuals will also not be accepted.

You should be aware that your entire comment – including personal identifying information such as your address, phone number, and email address – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Virtual Public Meeting Access and Information

WebEx connect time: 4:45 PM PDT
Meeting START time: 5:00 PM PDT
Meeting end time: 6:30 PM PDT

To join the webinar via computer and computer audio:
“Ctrl+click” on the following link or copy and paste the link into your internet browser: https://doilearn2.webex.com/doilearn2/onstage/g.php?MTID=e2ed0011d0909bb19dbb99f7674b10f53

Event (ID) number (access code): 199 948 4882
Event Password (if prompted):  Chal3t!

For the virtual public meeting, if you require relay conference captioning (closed captioning) per the Americans with Disabilities Act or if you do not have internet access to attend the virtual public meeting, please notify us by 5:00 pm on Monday, July 13th. If you need other reasonable accommodations, please let us know as soon as possible so that we may attempt to meet your request. Please email: [e-mail] or leave a voice message at 360-565-3005, clearly stating your name, contact information, and briefly state the accommodation(s) you are requesting.