Smoke Signals 3
JANUARY 15, 2008
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Karnosh briefs Tribe on efforts to protect lands of interest
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Mike Karnosh, the Tribe's Ceded
Lands coordinator, briefed about
100 Tribal members on efforts to
protect Tribal ceded lands during
the Jan. 6 General Council meeting
held in the Community Center in
Grand Ronde.
Karnosh, who received a law de
gree in 2005 from Lewis & Clark
University in environmental and
natural resources law, said his
two-person department's directions
derive from Tribal Council Resolu
tion 34-03.
He strives to protect Tribal cul
tural resources for future gen
erations, identify at-risk Tribal
cultural resources on Cultural In
terest Lands from being damaged,
destroyed, looted or desecrated,
protect Tribal natural resources
from outside activities and moni
tor development and planning
activities of other governments and
private parties that might affect
Tribal resources.
Karnosh said he concentrates on
two types of lands: Ceded Home
lands are those specifically de
scribed in treaties signed by the
Tribe that were given to the U.S.
government in exchange for pay
ments and rights, and Non-Treaty
Homelands, which are areas his
torically inhabited by the Tribe's
numerous bands that include ter
ritory in Tillamook, Clatsop and
Lincoln counties in Oregon and
portions of Clark, Lewis, Cowlitz,
Wahkiakum and Pacific counties
in Washington.
Karnosh said he must track is
sues on millions of acres, some of
which are the most productive and
most developed or developing land
in Oregon and Washington. In ad
dition, he must track thousands of
miles of aquatic systems, including
parts of the Columbia, Willamette,
Umpqua and Rogue rivers, as well
as the Pacific Ocean.
"Some are among the most polluted
waters in the country," he said.
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Photo by Dean Rhodes
Tribal Elder Louise Coulson, right, receives a hug from Tribal Elder Val Grout
during the Jan. 6 General Council meeting in the Tribal Community Center.
Grout and Pearl Mekemson gave the blanket to Coulson in appreciation for
her years of chairing the Elders' Committee.
Karnosh said the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde work to
protect Tribal resources and inter
ests by involvement in enforcement
actions and litigation against pol
luters, participation as intervenors
in settlement negotiations, mem
berships in resource protection
organizations and partnering with
federal and state agencies.
Karnosh said the Ceded Lands
staff maintains a database of more
than 180 activities, about half of
which are currently active, that
might affect Tribal natural re
sources. Karnosh said he and Environ
mental Resource specialist Brandy
Humpherys work in conjunction
with the Tribe's Cultural Resources
Department, Legal Department,
Natural Resources staff, Public
Information Department, Global
Information Systems coordinator,
external consultants and Tribal
Council members to meet its goal.
In other action during the Jan.
6 General Council meeting:
Tribal Elder Louise Coulson re
ceived a Pendleton blanket in ap
preciation for her years of service
to the Elders' Committee.
Tribal Council member Reyn
Leno said that Tribal members
met with representatives of the
Multhomah Anglers and Hunt
ers Club on Jan. 2 and have been
notified the club will send a letter
in support of the Tribe's attempt
to obtain hunting tags for cultural
and ceremonial meat. Leno said
the proposal will go to the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Commission in April and the
Tribe needs to compile a list of
hunters who would be awarded
the tags to hunt 15 deer, nine
elk and three bear. A meeting
is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 30
in the Grand Ronde Community
Center for Tribal members in
terested in participating in the
ceremonial hunts. Hunters must
be 18 or older. A light meal will
be served.
Tribal Council member Val Shek
er said the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde and Siletz are
looking for professional, licensed
landscaping businesses that are
either Tribally owned or employ
Tribal members to apply to main
tain the Chemawa Station project
in Keizer. Chemawa Station is a
joint venture of both Tribes. For
more information, contact Eric
Scott at 503-879-2404 or eric.
scottgrandronde.org.
Cheri Butler, Margaret Provost,
Linda Branson and Louise Me
deiros were elected to four open
seats on the Elders' Committee.
Tribal member Brent Merrill
proposed creating a Thomas Bean
Community Spirit Award in hon
or of his recently deceased uncle,
who was well-known for helping
Grand Ronde Tribal members by
fixing appliances and cars and
providing transportation. Merrill
said he would donate $500 to
ward the effort and sought Tribal
Council support in creating an
award that would be given every
December to those who work to
selflessly help family, friends and
community members.
Kevin Campbell won the $100
door prize and John Lillard,
LeVeta Sell and Bernadine
Shriver won the three $50 door
prizes. 0
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Spirit Mountain Gaming Commission
Executive Director Lynn Hillman
retired Jan. 4 after 1 3 years of service
to the Confederated Tribes of Grande
Ronde. Left Hillman received a
Pendleton blanket from Tribal
Council members Chris Merder,
left and Jack Giffen Jr. Right
Gaming Commissioner and Tribal
member Andy Jenness spoke during
Hillman's retirement open house.
Gaming Commissioner Joe Vricella
has been named acting Interim
executive director until a permanent
replacement Is hired.
(
Photos by Dean Rhodes