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<br />November 24, 2020
<br />GREENWAY
<br />Mark R. Cook, Director
<br />Kittitas County Department of Public Works
<br />BOMID OF OLNECi0115
<br />411 North Ruby Street, Suite 1
<br />Lin Anderson. ^eM1m+, SIM Rlves LLP
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<br />Ellensburg, WA 98926
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<br />Dear Mr. Cook:
<br />Marsh"AR Recreakn,sal TarciLlkme,
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<br />I am writing on behalf of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, in support of Kittitas
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<br />County Department of Public Works' submittal of a 2021-2023 Federal Lands Access
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<br />Program Grant replacing the Swauk Creek bridge on Liberty Road. This load limiting
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<br />bridge currently prohibits implementation of the US Forest Services' Swauk Pine
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<br />Project.
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<br />The Okanogan -Wenatchee National Forest has been working towards restoration
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<br />efforts near Liberty, WA since 2010, when insect outbreaks killed large numbers of
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<br />standing trees. The concentration of standing dead timber, occurring near the Wildland
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<br />Urban Interface of the town of Liberty, poses a high risk of severe wildfire that could
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<br />easily cause massive damage to property and habitat. The Swauk Pine Project reduces
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<br />the risk of wildfires b harvesting the dead trees and masticating other hazardous fuels.
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<br />Naank
<br />The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust has partnered with the OWNF and the WA.
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<br />Department of Natural Resources to conduct cultural resources analysis on the insect-
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<br />kill area, prior to this work. It is a highly collaborative project that will reestablish
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<br />natural fire regimes, reducing wildfire management costs and better protecting the
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<br />forest and nearby communities. However, the Project cannot be fully implemented
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<br />without replacement of the Swauk Creek bridge.
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<br />In 2018, Kittitas County Department of Public Works completed an update to its
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<br />twenty-year Transportation Plan which identified a $100 million funding shortfall for
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<br />significant infrastructure needs. Without federal support for replacing the Swauk Creek
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<br />Bridge, other local priorities will take precedence, and the bridge will remain load
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<br />limited. A pending timber sale is now on indefinite hold as the deficient bridge cannot
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<br />support harvest equipment, or emergency response vehicles. This endangers not only
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<br />the work and investments made by the Greenway and other partners, but also the
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<br />community of Liberty, and significant recreational infrastructure.
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<br />For these reasons, and in deference to the thousands of Washingtonians who enjoy
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<br />year-round camping, hiking, jeeping, horseback riding, hunting and fishing in the Swauk
<br />area, we wholeheartedly support Kittitas County's request for FLAP funding to replace
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<br />the Swauk Creek Bridge.
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<br />Sincere)Y
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<br />MTSG REENWAY.O RG 2701 FIRSTAVENUE SUITE 240 SEATTLE• WA 981211206.382.5565 I INFO@MTSGREENWAY.ORG
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