[CPEO-MEF] County park plan in jeopardy

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Washington
THE OREGONIAN
County park plan in jeopardy
FOSTER CHURCH
07/08/03

VANCOUVER -- For a while this year, it looked as if Clark County was
finally on a fast track to a new 3,020-acre park at Camp Bonneville,
courtesy of the U.S. Army.

Slow down.

After negotiating with the Army since 1995, the county now finds itself
competing with the FBI, which wants to continue using the former Army
training camp as a small-arms firing range. The Army is considering the
request.

Reaction has been stunned surprise and even accusations that the Army is
dealing in bad faith.

"We have been supportive of the county's request for years now," said
U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash. "I would strongly oppose any effort to
pull the rug out from under the county now and simply transfer the land
to the FBI."

Barry Rogowski, federal facilities supervisor for the Washington
Department of Ecology, agreed.

"It would be hard for me to say they are negotiating in good faith now,"
he said of the Army. "It puts the county in a very difficult position."

FBI officials insist they have sought possession of the camp as a
training facility since the mid-'90s and that they are pressing the
issue now because the Army has announced its wish to dispose of the camp
by Sept. 30, the end of its fiscal year.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/metronorth/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_north_news/105766534361380.xml

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