Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2006)
MARCH 1,2006 MOCC QMAl rJim A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe www.grandronde.org (Sim Tribe Lends A Helping Hand To Contamination Cleanup . if it ,4 Jf: - t - r , V V Together On Saturday, February 1 1, Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle Kennedy spoke to the importance of the cleanup at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund site in the Portland Harbor. "We want to let you know that this site is in the homelands of the Grand Ronde people," said Kennedy. i . ... Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 OR NEWSPAPER PRO J . UO LIBRARY SYSTEM PRESERU . UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE OR 97403-1205 Everybody celebrates a dramatic improvement by planting trees and shrubs at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund site. By Ron Karten The continuing cleanup at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund site in Portland Harbor was punc tuated on Saturday, February 11, with the planting of more than 10,000 native trees and shrubs. "We want to let you know," said Grand Ronde Tribal Chair woman Cheryle Ken nedy, "that this site is in the homeland of the Grand Ronde people." She said that the Grand Rondes were "astonished to what degree contamina tion affected the lands and peoples that lived here." Representatives of the federal Environ mental Protection Agency (EPA), the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Governor's office, the City of Portland as well as community and public interest groups also spoke at a short ceremony nestled between the plantings at the shore of the Willamette River. Five other Tribes also participate in the i Tree Story Sheadon Lawes, 2-12 of Portland, digs a hole for one of some 1 0,000 trees and shrubs. clean-up effort, though none were represented at the ceremony. "What has been accomplished here in the last few years runs counter to the idea that gov ernment can't get things done," said EPA Regional Ad ministrator in Seat tle Michael Bogart. The McCormick and Baxter site is one of seven Super fund sites within the Portland Harbor, it self a Superfund site, established in 2000. The McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company operated from the 1940s to 1991 as a wood treatment facility on 41 acres along the east side of the Wil lamette River. According to an EPA and DEQ Project newsletter from the spring of 2005, "The site is contaminated with creosote, arse nic, dioxin and pentachlorophenol (PCP), a common wood-treating chemical. All of these are harmful See CLEANUP on page 7 Tt a- r ' 1
