Maria Cantwell: “During the fall of 2006, Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks endured incredible devastation from…”

“During the fall of 2006, Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks endured incredible devastation from tremendous wind and rainstorms. Mount Rainier National Park received almost 18 inches of rainfall in 36 hours. Rivers and streams all over the park overwhelmed their channels, with floods that exceeded anything the park had experienced in its 108-year history. Olympic National Park experienced a series of Pacific storms that brought significant road and trail damage. North Cascades National Park Complex experienced numerous winter windstorms, which resulted in abnormally large numbers of downed trees over trails and floods causing damage to several roads. The National Park Service estimated that damage to roads, trails, campgrounds, and buildings in all three parks exceeded $40 million. Today I recommend to National Park Director Mary Bomar the awarding of National Park Service commendations to the entire staff of Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades National Parks for their commitment to repair and restore these parks.”