MARCH 2024 | CONFEDERATED UMATILLA JOURNAL
MARCH 2024
CONFEDERATED UMATILLA JOURNAL
NEWS DAILY @ CUJ ONLINE
VOLUME 32 • ISSUE 3
THE MONTHLY NEWSPAPER OF THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION
Ceremonial signing celebrates historic agreement By TRAVIS SNELL CTUIR Communications Office
On Feb. 23 in Washington, D.C., Corinne Sams, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Member at Large and chair of Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, signs an agreement between the Biden-Harris administration and the CTUIR, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, Yakama Nation and states of Oregon and Washington. The agreement lays the groundwork for the federal government and the Six Sovereigns to protect and restore salmon, steelhead and native fish to the Columbia River Basin. TRAVIS SNELL | CTUIR COMMUNICATIONS PHOTO
BOT sets priorities for next 2 years MISSION – The Board of Trustees (BOT) has been working to finalize a list of about four dozen projects or issues – some new and some old – it plans to focus on during the rest of its twoyear term. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR) elected governing body in February meetings discussed a list of projects or goals it would like to focus on, which address topics ranging from cultural heritage and treaty rights protection to transportation.
About half of the list included new priorities, like re-assessing the tribe’s Language Program and emphasizing language revitalization in schools, addressing options for elder housing and care needs, and developing a drought management code. The BOT decided to continue focusing on work started by previous boards for the remaining priorities. Examples include finishing Wildhorse Resort & Casino expansion plans, continuing to increase housing availability on the reservation BOT CONTINUED PAGE 14
CTUIR 46411 Timine Way Pendleton, OR 97801
By CHRIS AADLAND Reporter
WASHINGTON – Delegates representing the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) visited the White House on Feb. 23 for a ceremonial signing of the Columbia River Basin Agreement between the U.S. government and the Six Sovereigns. This historic accord, which was announced Dec. 14, lays the groundwork for the federal government to work with the CTUIR, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the states of Oregon and Washington to protect and restore salmon, steelhead and native fish to the Columbia River Basin (CRB). Representing the CTUIR were Board of Trustees Member at Large Corinne Sams and Garrett Brown of the Office of Legal Counsel. “My heart is big today. This is a historical moment for all of us, not
just the tribes or the sovereigns, but the United States government and all Americans in the Pacific Northwest. We are Wykanish-Pum, the Salmon People, and in our creation story Salmon gave up himself so we can have nourishment. And in return, we promised to speak on behalf of our resources,” Sams said at the ceremony. “Since time immemorial, our people have relied on this fish population. In 1855 we signed a treaty with the United States government, and we secured the exclusive right to fish in our usual and accustomed areas in perpetuity. In the early days, our historic runs were over 20 million. Now its estimated run this year is 124,000. We are on the brink of extinction, and the status quo is unacceptable. This work isn’t new. All we are doing is collaborating and partnering, which we should have been doing all along. So I thank the United States government. I thank all of you here today because it’s going to take all of us to implement and ensure we restore our salmon to healthy and abundant levels.” SIGNING CONTINUED PAGE 11
CTUIR celebrates return of spawning salmon to McKay By LISA SNELL Editor PENDLETON – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced evidence heralding the return of salmon to McKay Creek in their #FishPassageFriday social media post Feb. 22. Recent Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) surveys counted 72 salmon-cleared egg pits, or redds, along the 6 miles below the McKay Reservoir Dam – the result of fall chinook and coho spawning. This marks the first time salmon have spawned in McKay Creek since a weir blocking fish passage was installed across the creek in 1995 and fisheries managers are optimistic for the return of summer steelhead this spring. “We could definitely see a higher number of salmon and steelhead returning to the Umatilla basin in the
Recent surveys counted 72 salmoncleared egg pits, or redds, along the 6 miles below the McKay Reservoir Dam. KEVIN BELCHER | COURTESY
upcoming years because of this now available habitat in McKay Creek,” said Taylor McCroskey, ODFW Umatilla/Walla Walla district fish biologist. “Again, it’s the first time adult salmon and steelhead will be able to spawn in McKay Creek since the adult barrier went in back in the 1990s.” The adult weir was installed at the mouth of the creek to keep anadromous species, fish that spend SALMON CONTINUED PAGE 13
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Pendleton, OR Permit #100