Governor Gregoire, Local and Tribal Officials Sign Tse-whit-zen Accord

For Immediate Release: August 14, 2006

Port and City Receive Economic Development Grants

PORT ANGELES � Governor Chris Gregoire, joined by local and tribal officials, today signed an agreement resolving issues related to the historic Tse-whit-zen Village. The agreement provides for site restoration and protection of burial remains and artifacts and creates new economic development opportunities for the community.

�This agreement brings positive closure to a difficult and painful experience and new hope for a brighter economic future for the entire community,� said Governor Gregoire. �I am very pleased with the outcome and appreciate the hard work of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the City of Port Angeles and the Port of Port Angeles that made this pivotal agreement happen.�

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) sought to develop a �graving dock� facility to build concrete pontoons that would replace aging pontoons on the Hood Canal Bridge. Work was stopped when ancient human remains were discovered soon after excavation began in August 2003. Following extensive negotiations and additional archaeological study, work resumed in March 2004. Additional remains were found � eventually more than 350 skeletal remains and many artifacts � before work was halted in December 2004.

Governor Gregoire, at the invitation of the community, helped keep the parties together during a six-month mediation period leading to the settlement of the conflicts and litigation that resulted from the project.

The settlement agreement transfers ownership of a majority of the site from the state to the Tribe and provides support for the reburial of remains and materials and for site restoration. A portion of the property will be transferred to the Port and another portion will be leased to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe by WSDOT. The state will award a $15 million economic stimulus grant that will be shared equally by the City of Port Angeles and the Port of Port Angeles for capital investment in economic development initiatives.

The agreement establishes protocols for identifying archaeological resources in the future to ensure they are protected without impeding construction.

On behalf of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Chair Frances Charles said:

�This has been a difficult experience for everyone. We have been forced to understand each other. However, the compromise we have reached suggests we have more values in common than different. We honor and thank the Governor, Mayor, Port President, the parties� staff and lawyers and our mediators for their unwavering commitment to reach a resolution that will benefit all of Port Angeles and Clallam County for generations to come. We look forward to when our ancestors will return to their final resting place. For us, reburial is what this has always been about.�

Mayor Karen Rogers and Port President Bill Hannan said they are pleased with the settlement and appreciate the grants that will help replace the economic opportunity that was lost when the graving dock project was relocated outside the region.

WSDOT eventually contracted to have the pontoons built in Tacoma. Concrete for the first pontoon was poured last April and the bridge reconstruction project is back on track.

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Attached is a summary of the agreement.