PORT ANGELES — State officials and Lower Elwha Klallam tribal leaders say negotiations to fully restart construction at the state Department of Transportation’s graving yard site are continuing.
Tribal and Transportation officials, in cooperation with Federal Highway Administration, state Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have been involved in the negotiations that are entering their fourth month.
Following state and federal laws, Transportation officials halted construction Aug. 26 following the discovery of Klallam remains and artifacts in a small portion of the 22-acre graving yard site.
During an archeological survey earlier this fall, partial skeletal remains of 12 adults and one infant and numerous artifacts were unearthed in a small area of the waterfront site.
Both tribal and state officials have said they feel they are close to reaching an agreement, but also still won’t comment on the specific details of negotiations.
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The rest of the story is in Tuesday’s Peninsula Daily News Clallam County edition.