The Department of Interior earlier today announced a 30-day extension so the public could comment on proposed changes in rules regarding guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.

Comments are now due July 30. The initial comment period ended on Monday.

Sean Smith of the National Park Conservation Association’s Seattle office said in an e-mail that on June 26, the chairmen of the House and Senate subcommittees with jurisdiction over national parks wrote Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne requesting the extension.

Smith wrote that Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, and Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, said the previous 60-day comment period was an inadequate amount of time for the public to comment “on such a controversial and complex proposal.”

The department’s proposal would allow visitors to carry loaded, concealed firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges in states where guns are allowed in parks and refuges under state law. The current rules require guns to be unloaded and locked away during visits to parks and refuges.

The proposed change can be read by clicking here.

Click here to send comments, which should be identified by the number 1024-AD70.

The state Department of Natural Resources issued a news release earlier today announcing closures and restrictions at the Capital State Forest. The restrictions are due to winter storm damage or construction.

Here is the full list, according to the release:

FACILITIES
Porter Creek Campground can no longer be accessed via the B-line Road from Porter. The road is closed just past the intersection of the B-line and the C-1000 roads. This leaves three options to access Porter Creek Campground:
From the west: Start at the C-line Road entrance from Hwy 12. Follow C-line Road east to the C-4000 Road; continue north on C-4000 Road past Capital Peak to the B-1000 Road; continue west to Porter Creek Campground.
From the north: Enter from Hwy 8 (two miles east of the ORV Park); turn south onto the B-5200 Road. Continue south on the B-5200 Road to the B-5000 Road. Turn east on the B-5000 Road and continue to the B-line Road. Turn west on B-line Road and follow to Porter Creek Campground.
From the east: Enter from Waddell Creek Road to Sherman Valley Road and onto the C-line Road Continue west on the C-line Road to the C-4000 Road and follow the C-4000 Road north past Capitol Peak to the B-1000 Road. Travel west on the B-1000 Road to Porter Creek Campground. 

ORV TRAILS
North Rim #1, north of Porter Creek Campground: Swan Creek Bridge footing washed out.
Rock Candy West, south of Rock Candy entrance, is damaged in multiple locations due to mudslides.
Mount Molly Porter #3 and North Rim #1: In the Camp Four Creek and Potosi Creek drainages, the trails are damaged in multiple locations due to mudslides.
Trail #40, east of Middle Waddell Campground: Middle Waddell Bridge is closed due to damage from a fallen tree.

NON MOTORIZED TRAILS
Green Line #6, east of Porter Creek Campground, is damaged in multiple locations due to mudslides. The Iron Creek Bridge footing has washed out.
Mima Porter #8, southeast of Porter Creek Campground, is damaged in multiple locations due to mudslides. The Hell Creek Bridge footing has washed out.
Mima Porter #8, east of Wedekind: Stream crossings are damaged due to high water.
Trail #6-A, north of Mima Falls Trail Head: Culvert washed out due to high water.
Waddell Loop, east of Margeret McKenny Campground: Margeret McKenny Bridge washed out due to high water.

Mike Galizio, senior transportation planner for Pierce County Public Works & Utilities, sent an e-mail this morning saying you can now pick up the new Pierce County bike map at nearly 100 locations.

Click this link for the county’s Bike Map Web page to find the location closest to you.

Galizio said while they will work to add more locations, the map team “will now focus our efforts on working on the online version of the new bike map.”