Olympic Corrections Center (OCC)
OCC does an extensive amount of community work. OCC supports the countless community organizations by offering maintenance support throughout the peninsula, providing religious firewood for a variety of organizations, and converting food waste from CBCC and Kalaloch Lodge into usable compost. OCC also has a number of beautiful gardens, water features, and an award-winning wastewater treatment plant.
Jeff Burch cleans the pond outside his living unit at Olympic Corrections Center; he said, "This is what I do in my free time. This is my peace of mind." Photo by Ricky Osborne.
Facility Highlights
Community Crew
Program Highlights:
Most activities are related to sustainability, e.g., lawn and grounds care, trail improvements, brush cutting, firewood cutting, weed removal, storm debris clean up, stream restoration, fence construction, greenhouse construction, snow removal, painting and construction.
Partners:
Department of Natural Resoutces (DNR), City of Forks, Quinault Tribal Reservation, Forks Visitor Center, Forks Community Hospital, Quillayute Valley School District, Quinault Indian Reservation ,
Flower Gardens, Boxes, Baskets
Program Highlights:
Each living unit has several garden beds for residents: hanging baskets and flowering beds throughout staff and incarcerated population areas. Flower beds are enjoyed by most people at the facility.
Partners:
WWTP
Forestry
Program Highlights:
Off-site crews trained in and practice re-forestation, wood-cutting, land clearing, and forest firefighting and fire prevention; In 2025, these crews had 14 wildfire deployments and 5 Project fire deployments.
Partners:
DNR
Gardens
Program Highlights:
Gardens and greenhouses are maintained by Hoh living Unit and Maintenance department. They delivered 1946.38 lbs. of produce to the Forks Food Bank. The facility grew pumpkins for family friendly events at OCC and CBCC.
Partners:
Forks Community Food Bank
Large-scale Composting
Program Highlights:
Processed ~76 tons of food and yard waste from OCC and CBCC; produced ~48 tons of finished compost; on-job training for equipment and safety; use compost throughout the facility to build up soil; lost bulking agent (wood chip) source and now have to buy their own.
Partners:
Kalaloch Lodge
Religious Firewood: Community Involvement Firewood
Program Highlights:
In 2025, OCC supplied 237 cords of firewood to the Native American programs and other charities in the community.
Partners:
Olycap, Quillayute Valley Scholarship Fund, Lake Quinault Fire Department, Department of Natural Resources
Solar Power
Program Highlights:
5K Solar Array produces electricity that is used by the facility.
Waste Sorting & Recycling
Program Highlights:
On-the-job training for incarcerated technicians; recycling cardboard and scrap metal, reducing landfill fees.
Wastewater Treatment
Program Highlights:
Dept of Ecology’s Outstanding Performance Award for 2018 and 2019; DOE 100% compliant 9 years in a row; since 2002, 38 incarcerated technicians trained to Wastewater Treatment Operator 1 / 2 level; many reported work in WWT following release. Treated 13.7 million gallons in 2025.
Partners:
Washington Department of Ecology (DOE)
Water Catchment
Program Highlights:
Two 2,100 gal tanks; red faucets for rainwater watering.
Water features
Program Highlights:
Two living units have fishponds; the other has a fountain and basin.
Wood shop
Program Highlights:
Every year OCC donates outdoor furniture, wood toys and games, and other crafts to Quillayute Valley School District Scholarship auction.
Partners:
City of Forks, Olympic Logging, Quillayute Valley Scholarship Fund, and others
Together, we imagine what’s possible
Sustainability thrives on community. Be part of a unique collaboration that bridges
education, environmental justice, and rehabilitation in real, tangible ways.
Once a year, SPP reports on all things sustainable happening in Washington State Prisons.