Port Angeles Washington - The Authentic Northwest.

Christmas Trees will be collected curbside in the City of Port Angeles during the week of January 9, 2012. Trees must be cut into 4-foot lengths, bundled, and put out on your regular garbage collection day. Please no tinsel, flock, or ornaments. You do not have to be a yard waste subscriber to get this once-a-year free service.

“Each year we collect about 600 Christmas trees for composting” reports Helen Freilich, Waste Reduction Specialist. “This is a great service for our residential customers who need to get rid of their tree”.

County residents can take their trees to the yard debris area of the Regional Transfer Station, Monday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This year there are no holiday closures at the Transfer Station. A minimum yard waste fee of $5.00 is charged. The trees are mixed with other yard debris and made into Garden Glory Compost.

For more information visit;  www.cityofpa.us/pwSolidWCollections.htm, or  contact Helen Freilich, City of Port Angeles Waste Reduction Specialist, at 417-4874 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Olympic National Park has finished reviewing public comments received on
the Spruce Railroad Trail Expansion and Improvement Environmental
Assessment (SRRT EA) and has determined that a revised SRRT EA will be
developed in 2012.

The revised EA will supersede the original EA, and could include
development of new alternatives.  Another 30-day public comment period and
public meeting will be scheduled. New impact analysis will be undertaken
for any new alternatives developed in the revised SRRT EA.

“Members of the public brought up important issues, particularly
surrounding accessibility, safety, and visitor experience, and we will
fully examine and analyze them as we develop the revised EA,” said Olympic
National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin.

A total of 143 responses were received by the park during the public
comment period, including letters, emails and responses submitted through
the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC)
website.  All public responses will be posted on the PEPC website in early
2012, minus commentors’ names and personal information.

The SRRT EA was developed in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered
Species Act (ESA), and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). This project would
implement actions identified in the park’s 2008 General Management Plan
(GMP) and the 1998 Lake Crescent Management Plan (LCMP) to extend and
improve the existing Spruce Railroad Trail (SRRT) located on the north
shore of Lake Crescent and to construct new trail along the historic
railroad grade in the park’s Sol Duc area.


The purpose of this project is to improve the historic Spruce Railroad
grade within Olympic National Park, as a non-motorized, multipurpose trail
as identified in the GMP and LCMP. This includes the existing Spruce
Railroad Trail.

City Hall and Offices
Closed December 26, 2011, and January 2, 2012.

The Port Angeles Regional Transfer Station

Open regular schedule of Monday through Saturday from 9am until 5pm.  No holiday closures.

Collections
Residential weekly garbage collections will be on regular schedule December 26 through December 30, and January 2 through January 6 for both garbage and recycling collections.

Christmas Tree Recycling

Christmas Trees will be collected during the week of January 9, 2012. Trees must be cut into 4-foot lengths, bundled, and put out on your regular garbage collection day.  Please no tinsel, flock, or ornaments.  It is not necessary to be a yard waste subscriber to get this once-a-year free service

Winter Weather and Collection Delay Reminder
Winter weather and icy road conditions can delay collections. During bad weather, please leave carts out until they can be emptied.

CITY OF PORT ANGELES

Transfer Station Information Line:  360-417-4875

Recycling:  360-417-4874

Garbage Collections:  360-417-4876

Website:  www.cityofpa.us

An interagency team of biologists closely monitoring the returns of fish to the Elwha River have determined that the late fall runs of chum salmon have trickled to a end, allowing contractors to begin dam removal work two weeks earlier than projected.  A planned stoppage of sediment-releasing dam removal work has been in place since November 1 to protect fish runs in the river.  There are three such work stoppages, also known as “fish windows” throughout the year.

Adult chum salmon were collected and transferred to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe’s fish hatchery, which is acting as a clear-water refuge during the dam removal period when extensive sediment is being released into the river.  Offspring of the collected chum will be released into the river this spring.

Dam removal contractor Barnard Construction, Inc. has adjusted their work schedule and will be ready on Monday, December 19 to begin dam demolition again.

Plans for next week at Elwha Dam include diverting the river back into the right channel (looking downstream) and beginning another reservoir drawdown, increasing flows by approximately 150 cubic feet per second (cfs.)

At Glines Canyon Dam, crews will reassemble the barge and excavator-mounted hydraulic hammer and complete modifications to the onsite crane, with dam demolition work scheduled to begin on December 27.

Although access to the actual demolition sites is not allowed, options exist for interested people to watch the process of dam removal.

Six webcams, available through the Olympic National Park website (http://www.nps.gov/olym/) or directly at http://www.video-monitoring.com/construction/olympic/js.htm provide updated images throughout daylight hours.

Viewing Elwha Dam Removal Removal work at Elwha Dam can be also be viewed via a short overlook trail which leads from a trailhead parking area just off Lower Dam Road to a

viewing location above the dam.

Viewing Glines Canyon Dam Removal Because of public safety and site security concerns, there is currently no public viewing of the Glines Canyon Dam removal process except via webcam. Olympic National Park is working to provide public viewing opportunities for the Glines Canyon dam by summer 2012.

Work to repair the section of the Waterfront & Olympic Discovery Trail located between the east side of the Rayonier Mill parking lot at the footbridge, to the approximate area where the trail begins to curve to the south near Morse Creek, has been discontinued for the winter.  The trail is open.

The project will resume in early spring to finish planting and repairs to the asphalt.

If you need additional information related to this project, contact Jim Mahlum, Project Engineer, at 417-4701. And visit:  www.cityofpa.us/parkrec-waterftrail.htm

The 2012 Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby will be held over Presidents Day Weekend, February 18-20 2012. Like last year, the 2012 event is huge – with 500 square miles of fishing, five weigh stations, and a $10,000 first prize. This year there are three great Mystery Fish prizes. This event, formerly the Discovery Bay Salmon Derby, is hosted by the Gardiner Salmon Derby Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that supports area emergency and other services. This winter blackmouth classic is part of the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s “Northwest Salmon Derby Series.”

Association president Dan Tatum is excited. “This should be another great derby. Last year was fantastic, but this year should be even better.” Derby volunteers will staff weigh stations at all five launch ramps: Freshwater Bay, Ediz Hook in Port Angeles, John Wayne Marina in Sequim, Gardiner, and Port Townsend Boat Haven. Submitted fish will be inspected but won’t be collected, so the weigh-in process will be fast and efficient. Every fish submitted has a chance to win one of the three Mystery Fish prizes – $1,000, $500, and $500. There will be many other great prizes as well. The awards ceremony will be held on Monday the 20th at the Gardiner Boat Ramp at 2:00PM, and will also include a cash prize raffle. Tatum adds “Before the Monday awards ceremony, this year we’re having a free BBQ starting at 11:00. It will be a fun time for anglers and local neighbors.”

Tickets for the event cost $40 for one day or all three days. Tickets go on sale the first week in January at many area merchants, and also on-line at www.SwainsInc.com. (Tickets will also be available at the five launch ramps, but ONLY on Saturday 2/18.) Ticket sales will be limited, so be sure to get a ticket early! This event uses selective fishery – clipped-fin hatchery fish only – and it benefits emergency and other vital services for Gardiner, Diamond Point, and nearby communities. For more information, including derby rules, visit www.GardinerSalmonDerby.org.

Contact:

Dan Tatum, 360-797-7710