Rehabilitation of the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center and Septic System Environmental Assessment

The National Park Service is proposing to rehabilitate the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center and the wastewater system that services the building. The proposed construction would close the Visitor Center for up to six months, likely starting in the fall of 2021.

During construction, visitors will continue to be able to access the Fort Clatsop replica and trails. Temporary restrooms, bookstore, and a small visitor center would be located on trailers in the parking lot.

The Fort Clatsop Visitor Center at Lewis and Clark National Park was constructed in 1963 and underwent a major expansion in 1991 and many systems need replacement. After construction, visitors can expect to return to a building with improved accessibility, safety, and energy efficiency. Work includes:

• Entryway: The front entry would be expanded to facilitate better flow and the brick ground surface will be replaced with concrete to make it ABBAS compliant.

• Restrooms: existing facilities would be completely stripped and rebuilt to meet ABBAS standards. A new HVAC system will be installed adjacent on the exterior of the building.

• Visitor Center theater room: Renovation of theater seating, finishes, audio, and visual systems are planned. The seating configuration would be updated following a Universal Design approach, which would address the needs of visitors with a wider range of needs than the current configuration allows for and mitigate accessibility issues.

• Canoe shelter: as part of the enlarged entryway in the Visitor Center, the Chinookan canoe "Okulam" would be moved inside for display. The wooden shed structure that housed the canoe would be utilized as a gathering place for visitor groups to receive orientation to the site from staff.

• Fire sprinklers: new fire sprinklers would be installed under exterior overhangs to meet NFPA standards and correct fire safety deficiencies.

• General Interior improvements: A renovation of the HVAC system and installation of new insulation for the entire building is planned. Replacement of exterior windows, doors and door hardware is planned. In the multi-purpose room, entrance foyer and bookstore, worn and aged acoustic ceiling and flooring would be replaced. Existing halogen, incandescent and fluorescent lighting would be replaced with more energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) lighting.

• Curatorial Storage Space: The existing research library and curatorial storage would be expanded.

• New septic system: Less than one acre of a 30 to 40 year old forest would be converted into a new septic drainfield, while the current drainfield would be then be reforested. Construction of the new drainfield would likely occur in the fall of 2020, but would not impact the use of the Visitor Center.

An Environmental Assessment has been prepared to analyze the impacts from these actions. The public is invited to read the EA and make comments until April 27.

Document Content:

LEWI Visitor Center Septic EA508.pdf   (1.7 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.