Still concerned

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, May 4, 2011

INDEX — An environmental study says the design for the Reiter Foothills motorized trail system will not harm the nearby forest.

But for some, the review process did not answer all the concerns they have about the project.

After completing the state environmental review process, the st

ate Department of Natural Resources, which manages the Reiter Foothills between Gold Bar and Index, can work on obtaining permits from Snohomish County and getting state money and grants to develop the trails.

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The review process was completed in mid-April after the agency responded to 803 comments from individuals and various agencies.

The number of comments was unusually high, DNR spokeswoman Toni Droscher said.

“There’s a lot (of) passion and interest in this project,” she said.

DNR is seeking to develop 35 miles of trails on the 2,000 acres. Half of the property will be developed for use by four-wheelers and dirt bikes. The rest would be for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.

The time frame for the $3.6 million project is uncertain because permits and funding are needed first, Droscher said.

And there could be unexpected challenges.

At the moment, 10 conservation groups are deciding if they should challenge the decision, according to Karl Forsgaard, a Seattle-area lawyer representing them.

He declined to elaborate. A decision could be made in a couple of weeks, he said.

The Sierra Club, the Pilchuck Audubon Society and Friends of Wild Sky are some of the groups he represents.

Erosion, obtaining permits and stormwater pollution were some of the problems activist Bill Lider has with the plan.

Lider, a Lynnwood resident and a Reiter Foothills volunteer for about two years, thinks the DNR will have a difficult time getting approval because off-road vehicles are more harmful to water runoff than conventional vehicles, he said.

Also, Reiter Foothills should have trained staff to maintain, monitor and enforce rules so it does not become like other off-road parks in the state, he said.

“Other off-road trails are a big mess,” Lider said.

Index Mayor Bruce Albert said DNR did not fully address concerns the town of 178 people has about erosion and traffic created by the influx of users.

The department has not adequately proven it won’t negatively affect the town, he said.

The department said in an 82-page response to comments that the trails are designed to minimize erosion, that most of the traffic will come through Gold Bar instead of Index, and that there are plans for staff and volunteers to be present in the Reiter Foothills.

The number of staff members will depend on funding, Droscher said.

DNR is waiting for the Legislature to finish a special session to know how much money might be available. Only the House version of the budget gives $1.5 million in capital funding to the project. DNR also is awaiting responses from grant applications. Among other applications, DNR is seeking two possible grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. The grants would provide $554,000 for construction of the motorized trail and a temporary trail from parking areas, and $112,000 to build a bridge over the Wallace River for the non-motorized trails, Droscher said.

DNR also can also about $5.4 million in two years if Gov. Chris Gregoire signs into law a bill which would require people to pay for the use of recreational areas.

Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.