OR. COLL.
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75
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v. ZZ
no. 6
March 9,
00(9
Smith Wins National Title For
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Tribes deliver
DiSSatisfied With the. forferal
Dissatisfied with the federal
government's stalled efforts regard
ing Columbia Basin salmon, leaders
of the four Columbia River
treaty-fishing tribes told the federal
government it must immediately
implement a comprehensive salmon
recovery program that will yield re
turns of four million salmon above
Bonneville Dam within twenty-five
years. These are the recovery stan
dards tribes say would begin to meet
federal treaty obligations.
' , "We went to Washington to have
a good faith dialogue," said James
Holt, Nez Perce Tribe Executive
Committee member and Chair of the
Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish
Commission. "We were very clear,
the Administration must fulfill its
legal and moral extinction levels for
the next one hundred years is not
acceptable," he added.
Tribal officials reminded the Ad
ministration that it (the administra
tion) has not delivered on promises
to produce a recovery plan despite
twenty years of legislation (the
Northwest Power Act, the Endan
gered Species Act) requiring it to do
so. Solutions, in the form of
Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit, the
tribal salmon restoration plan, were
empnasizea in the two-hour dialogue.
Tribes emphasized the need for cer
tainty in rebuilding salmon stocks.
And it must come soon.
"The Administration has to hit the
Pelton ownership referandum "matter
TTio trikit .:....: .u. .....
The tribal constitution states that
all "matters of great importance" are
to be decided by eligible tribal vot
ers. The decision to approve the
Settlement Agreement between
Portland General Electric (PGE), the
. Tribes, and the US Department of the
ilnterior is indeed of great impor
tance, offering the potential for sig
nificant economic benefits.
The agreement defines the price
and conditions under which the
Tribes would buy a majority stake in
. the Pelton Hydroelectric Project from
PGE. One-third of the Pelton project,
the largest privately owned hydro
facility in Oregon, is located on tribal
lands.
-. In a referendum on March 28,
tribal members will vote on approval
of the Settlement Agreement. Every
vote counts. It is important to the
future of the Tribes that all eligible
voters familiarize themselves with
the referendum question and the is
sues. See related story for additional
information.
March 28, 2000 referendum ex
planation Charles Jackson recently an-
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Spilyay Tymoo
(Coyote News)
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clear messages
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stop button on the 'no decision'
merry-go-round," said Alan
Crawford, Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Fish and Wildlife Com
mittee member, "and abandon 'blank
check' policies allowing expensive,
unsuccessful tinkering of the federal
hydrosystem."
"It'll take hard decisions now to
rebuild and get fish back in the river.
Options have to be weighed against
time. Time is what salmon have the
least of," said Olney Patt Jr., Chair
man of the Confederated Tribes of
the Warm Springs Reservation of
Oregon.
Further, the Administration must
proceed toward breaching of the
lower Snake River dams. To do so
requires: moving forward with en
gineering work; completing eco
nomic mitigation plans for impacted
communities; implementing interim
actions for hydro (i.e. more spill,
flow and surface bypass); reforming
hatchery policies; implementing and
enforcing protective habitat standards
on federal lands; funding habitat
restoration; maintaining harvest
controls while meeting treaty fishing
needs. If these interim actions are
implemented and achieve salmon
rebuilding goals, then there are op
portunities to avoid more drastic
options such as breaching.
With out these actions,
deconstruction of the lower Snake
River dams must be completed with
agreement s link to economic
self-reliance. As
Secretary-Treasurer, Charles was a
key participant on the negotiating
team, under the direction of the Tribal
Council, which worked on this
agreement with PGE for over a year.
This article is excerpted from a recent
radio interview with Charles by Nat
Shaw on KWSO.
Spilyay Tymoo (ST): Why is the
Tribal Council endorsing the Settle
ment Agreement?
JACKSON: The Tribal Council
has had experts studying this matter
for a number of years. They have
concluded that the only realistic way
to move toward the goal of economic
self-reliance is to have control over
tribal resources with
revenue-generating potential. PGE
is selling part of the project to the
Tribes for well-below market value.
Thus, the Tribal Council believes
this Settlement Agreement is a good
investment for the future.
ST: Why is economic self-reliance
important?
JACKSON: Political sovereignty
is enhanced through economic
strength and the accompanying so-
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to federal officials
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all due speed
The National Marine Fisheries
Services' (NMFS) hatchery policies
and motives were also taken to task.
Current policy allows for killing of
surplus natcnery fish deemed in
appropriate to spawn naturally.
Tribes have successfully restored and
rebuilt runs using supplementation
of carefully managed hatchery stocks.
"All fish, both naturally spawned
and hatchery-reared must contribute
' to rebuilding these runs," said Randy
Settler, Yakama Nations Council
member. "There are two basic
choices: accept supplenetation as a
rebuilding tool, so NMFS can give
the region back to the people, or,
they can hunker down and we can
expect to live with them, ESA and
fishing restrictions for a helluva long
time. It's genetic gridlock now, ex
tinction tomorrow," he added.
The tribes were clear to point out
that restrictions to treaty fisheries
were unacceptable either by treaty
standards or as a conservation option.
The Columbia River treaty-fishing
tribes voluntarily ceased commer
cial harvest of Summer Chinook
(1964) and Spring Chinook (1977).
Neither stock has recovered.
Additionally, the tribes demanded
that actions in all "H's", the conser
vation regimes, be equitable and ac
countable. Recommendations in
cluded: -Increasing use of surface bypass
of great importance"
... '
cial stability. We need to turn our
assets into dollars and then reinvest
those dollars to develop jobs, homes,
roads, water and other utilities,
schools and governmental services.
This will help develop a true home
land for our people.
ST: What do you envision as an
economic future for the Tribes?
JACKSON: The Tribes are
blessed with abundant natural re
sources on and off the reservation.
These resources have enormous eco
nomic potential and we are prepared
to successfully develop and manage
those resources. Those resources can
provide the "spring board" we need
to create jobs and opportunities well
into the future.
. Some day, with careful planning,
the Tribes will become economically
self-reliant. This means that future
generations will be able to live in
Central Oregon and ouryoung people
will not be forced to leave the reser
vation in search of economic oppor
tunity. Purchasing a majority ownership
interest in the Pelton project is an
essential first step towards realizing
that future.
P.O. Box 870
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Change Service Requested
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and spill technology,
- Making improvements in adult
passage,
- Committing to comply with
Clean Water Act standards.
- Requiring Bonneville Power
Administration to pay for fish and
wildlife restoration as well as its
Treasury debt, on time and in full,
- Transitioning federal hatchery
operations and maintenance to tribal
control,
-Reforming NMFS hatchery
policies to discontinue the killing
returning salmon and use them for
rebuilding,
- Upgrading inferior ICBEMP
standards with review by the Inde
pendent Scientific Advisory Board,
- Protecting and restoring water
sheds through quantitative standards
and monitoring,
- Protecting, not dredging, the
Columbia River estuary,
- Committing to reasonable
multi-year fisheries agreements that
reflect tribal needs.
' "It's premature to declare any
victories for salmon", said Donald
Sampson, Executive Director of the
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission, "there's a long way to
go but we might be getting on the
right road. At the same time the Tribes
will prepare to act if the Adminis
tration does not."
Members to vote
"Shall the proposed Settlement
Agreement between the Confeder
ated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon, Portland
General Electric Company, and the
United States Department of the In
terior relating to the ownership and
operation of the Pelton Project (FERC
Project 2030) be approved and
Shall the Confederated Tribes be
authorized to issue tribal bonds in
one or more series or by other bor
rowing on such terms as may be
approved by the Tribal Council in an
outstanding aggregate principal
amount of not to exceed $90 million
(including any refinancing), adjusted
by the Consumer Price Index for all
items fi all U.S. urban consumers,
beginning January 1, 2000 for pur
chase of Pelton Project ownership
interests from Portland General
Electric company, its successor and
assigns, finance costs for mitigation
and enhancement measures, capita
construction, equipment and im
provements, reserve funds, borrow
ing costs and costs for operation and
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Spring Break Sale at the Warm
Springs Plaza.
Bargain hunters quadruple
your bargains with usH!
Twice As Nice Thriftshop 25 off
Marcia's Hair Salon $5 clipper cuts
for boys 12 & under
Pebbles teepee Palace 25 off
Sidaiktba Native dollectables 25 off
Beginning March 20th to 24th, 2000
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information call 1-541-553-7907.
Driving Course offered
The American Association of
Retired Persons (AARP), is spon
soring another 55 AliveMature
Driving Course, which will be hosted
by Mountain View Hospital District,
the 8 hour course will be held on
Friday, March 10 from 4 to 8 p.m.
and Saturday, March 1 1 from 8:30
a.m. to, 12:30 p.m. in the hospital's
Multi-Purpose room.
The AARP 55 AliveMature
Driving Course is designed to meet
the specific needs of older drivers. It
covers age related physical changes,
declining perceptual skills, rules of
the road, local driving problems and
license renewal requirements. All
automobile insurance companies
conducting business in Oregon are
required to provide a premium dis- cal1 in advance so approj
- - : V , i i i: : - , a h -v.w j.v;. rangemejits can be made ,
You are invited to a
Grand Opening
at Phil's Ace Hardware
13 SW "H" Street
Madras, OR 97741
541-475-9392
on Friday, March 10,
2000
Board cutting
ceremony is at 9 a.m.
Hope you can help us
celebrate!
District Meetings
Simnasho-Thursday,
March 9, 2000
6 p.m. dinner 7 p.m. meeting
at the Simnasho Longhquse
Agenda: RelicensingPGE .
General Council Meeting
Agency Longhouse
Thursday, March 16,2000
6 p.m. dinner 7 p.m. meeting
at the Agency Longhouse
Agenda: RelicensingPGE
General Council Meeting
Simnasho Longhouse
Tuesday, March 21, 2000
6 p.m. dinner; 7 p.m. meeting
Agenda: RelicensingPGE
All tribal members invited!!
March 28, 2000
maintenance.
Any tribal borrowing for the
project shall be legal, valid, and
binding special obligation of the
Tribe, not subject to impairment by
any future action of the Tribe, but
shall be secured solely by the project, .
the project revenues, the proceeds of
such borrowing, and any assets of
Warm Springs Power Enterprises
specifically pledged thereto.
In no event, shall the General Fund
or the full faith and credit of the
Confederated Tribes be pledged or
used to secure or repay such bor
rowing." A YES vote means you approve
the agreement under which the Tribes
can acquire a majority interest in the
Pelton project from PGE.
A NO vote mean that you disap
prove settlement agreement with
PGE and the Tribes! ownership of
the Pelton Project is undecided.
Tribal members will vote March
28, 2000 on the above referendum
question.
University of Oregon
Received on: 03-U-000
Spilyay tyioo.
U.S. Postage
Bulk Rate Permit No. 2
Warm Springs, OR 97761
count to graduates of the AARP 55
AliveMature Unving course, mere
is a course fee of $8 payable to the
American Association of Retired
Persons.
The instructor for the Mountain
View 55 Alive program is AARP
volunteer Dick Montee. For more
information or to pre-register, call
the Mountain View Hospital District
Wellness office at 475-3882 ext.
2307.
If you are interested in attending
any District community education
classes and will require assistive aids,
please contact the District Wellness
Office at 475-3882 extension 2307
or 475-3882 extension 2350 (TTY
TDD) to request such aids. Please
call in advance so appropriate ar-
Forestry seeking
gopher trappers
Warm Swines Forestry has deter
mined Gopher control is necessary
because gophers cause excessive
damage to young trees in plantations
and in many cases require replant
ing. The gopher-trapping program
developed in 1992 as an alternative
to using pesticides to poison gophers.
In the event you wish to submit your
name you will have to be qualified in
the following criteria:
1 . Be an enrolled tribal member of
the Confederated Tribes of Warm
Springs.
2. Be certified by the Warm
Springs Forestry Department, or have
written proof of two years trapping
experience. ,
3. Will have knowledge of the
Contract Bidding Procedure.
4. Will have your own gopher
traps. ' ''-.-. '
5. Will have basic map reading
knowledge.
6. In addition, will be responsible
for your own transportation, and in
curring insurance costs.
Have your name submitted by
March 20, 2000. Mail response to
Confederated Tribes of Warm
Springs, Forestry Department, atten:
Forest Development; PO Box 1239;
Warm Springs, OR 9776 1 or contact
the Forestry Department (541)
553-2416. Thank you.
Test Required first
Pursuant to the Warm Springs
Tribal Courts "Rules of Court" passed
by Tribal Council, all persons seek
ing admission to practice law in Tribal
Court in addition to filing fees, must
pass a prescribed test.
In order to assist lawyers and ad
vocates to prepare for the upcoming
"test" the Tribal Court will schedule
a minimum of two sessions. These
sessions are intended to help poten
tial practitioners to learn what ma
terial needs to be reviewed and
studied in order to gam a passing
score on the exam.
The first session is scheduled for
6 p.m. Monday, March 16th in Court
Room one.
Pichette selected
Employee of the
month
Jason Pichette has been selected
for Employee of the month for Feb
ruary. He has been recognized, for
Safety, Attendance, Attitude, Coop
eration, and Production
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