ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) — Federal officials want to expand the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge by more than 6,800 acres, but the Pacific County Commission is opposed over worries it will take away valuable timber land.
The Daily World of Aberdeen reports that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s preferred plan calls for a new refuge headquarters near Long Beach and a new interpretive trail and wildlife observation deck.
The refuge’s project leader Charlie Stenvall says all refuges are required by federal law to complete a conservation plan by 2012.
The commission objects to expansion into commercial forestry land. Commissioner Jon Kaino says he worries it would hurt the logging industry.
