I have followed the dialogue between pro- and anti- Green Mountain lookout factions and much of the anger is misdirected toward Wilderness Watch. The simple truth is that the U.S. Forest Service violated the law by not notifying the public that they had completely demolished the old lookout and constructed a faux replica.
The Darrington district has concealed past violations of environmental law from the public. On the Mountain Loop Highway Repair in 2007, they were found to have deleted a bridge in favor of a less costly option of just pushing rock into the Sauk River when spawning endangered salmon were present. They failed to follow through on what was promised in the environmental assessment. Erosion controls were improperly installed by untrained staff. These violations resulted in the project being halted while it was recalled for consultation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and delayed the re-opening of the Mountain Loop Highway over one year.
Darrington staff directed a contractor to place concrete under the Bedal Creek Bridge footing. However, the concrete forms were improperly constructed and blew out, spilling high pH concrete into Bedal Creek near its confluence with the Sauk River. The spill was concealed.
Even today, they are withholding information requested for repairs on the Suiattle River Road No. 26, preferring concealment over transparency. The USFS does not prepare stormwater pollution prevention plans that are required by every other county and city in Washington under the Clean Water Act/NPDES Permit.
Wilderness Watch will likely win its lawsuit and have the lookout removed, primarily because the USFS chose to conceal controversial activities rather than follow the law and inform the public.
How many other violations have been concealed that we do not yet know about?
Regardless of how you feel about faux lookout structures in wilderness areas, it is time for staff changes in the Darrington district.
William Lider, PE, CESCL
Lynnwood
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