But for the Bureau of Land Management not fixing or allowing the road to be fixed between Harris Park and the trailhead so the Forest Service could repair the trail, the tragic death of one of our community members would not have happened ("Hiker drowns in Walla Walla River near Harris Park," May 1).
The damage done by the flood in 2020 should have been fixed as quickly as the Umatilla County Road Department fixed the road to Harris Park and the damage to the campground. The BLM refused to do this.
Immediately following the flood, emergency repairs in the river were allowed. There was no requirement for environmental studies during that time. Mother Nature did more damage in the river in 24 hours than fixing the road would do.
The BLM and other agencies put potential fish life in front of human life and have dragged out study after study and kept the most popular hiking/biking trail in the area damaged. This trail is used by thousands of people each year and was also the access to several remote cabins. It's time for government agencies to re-evaluate the appropriate actions needed and place a higher value on human life!
Bonnie Ehart
Milton-Freewater
