Smoke Signals 3
NOVEMBER 1,2008
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Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy signs agreement for Grand Ronde on Oct 2 1
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy adds her signature to the Carmen
Smith Hydroelectric Project relicensing agreement during a ceremony at the
Eugene Water & Electric Board office in Eugene on Tuesday, Oct. 21 .
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
The Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde was among 16 parties that
signed an agreement with the Eu
gene Water & Electric Board on
Oct. 21 that outlines environmen
tal, recreational and other improve
ments the board will undertake
to relicense its Carmen-Smith
Hydroelectric Project on the upper
McKenzie River.
The project is in the Tribe's ceded
lands and Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy signed the agreement for
the Tribe.
Tribal Council voted 6-0 on Oct. 8
to adopt a resolution approving the
settlement agreement.
"We have a special interest in
what happens to the natural and
cultural resources in that area and
want to preserve our Tribal mem
bers' rights to utilize the resources
in the area," said Tribal Environ
mental Resource Specialist Brandy
Humphreys.
"Also because, as a Tribe, we have
a different perspective on resources
and how to manage them that agen
cies and other organizations do not
bring to the table."
Among other requirements, the
agreement calls for the Eugene Wa
ter & Electric Board to construct an
upstream fish ladder and a down
stream fish passage system at Trail
Bridge Dam, increase year-round
stream flows in portions of the
McKenzie River and the Smith and
Carmen bypass reaches above Trail
Bridge Reservoir, improve fisher
ies spawning and rearing habitat
throughout the project area, and
protect important cultural and
historical resources.
The agreement also calls on the
Eugene Water & Electric Board to
protect and document all known
historic sites and protect and en
hance plant species that are cultur
ally important to Native Americans.
In addition, the board will make
improvements that increase ac
cessibility to those plant species
by Tribal Elders and others with
limited physical abilities.
In all, the agreement calls for
$135.5 million in improvements
the utility promises to make on
the cluster of dams and reservoirs
on the river, which provides about
9 percent of Eugene's electricity.
Construction probably will begin in
2012 on the agreed upon projects.
The Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric
Project is 71 miles east of Eugene
and was completed in 1963. The
board is seeking a 50-year renewal
of its current operating license,
which expires at the end of No
vember, from the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission.
To avoid potential legal chal
lenges to the new license, the board
negotiated with federal and state
natural resource agencies, three
Tribes and environmental and
recreation groups.
In addition to the Grand Ronde
Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of
Siletz and Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs also signed the
agreement.
Among the most significant
changes will be modifications at the
Trail Bridge Dam that will screen
fish away from the turbines and
cost $44 million. The fish ladder
will cost another $15 million.
"The Tribe helped negotiate the
entire settlement, from fish passage
at Trail Bridge Dam, especially the
specification to make the fish lad
der passage-friendly for lamprey,
to wildlife habitat enhancement to
working on a plan for the Tribe to
direct management of culturally
significant plants for use of Tribal
members," Humphreys said.
Board spokesman Lance Robert
son said allowing Chinook salmon,
which are listed as threatened
under the Endangered Species Act,
to move upstream of the dam will
give them an additional 1.5 miles
of access on the McKenzie River
and six miles of Smith River and
Sweetwater Creek access.
The improvements also will help
threatened bull trout, Robertson
said. D
Tribal youth headed to Japan
Tribal youth Savannah Ingram,
13, of Gresham was chosen as one
of eight students from Gordon
Russell Middle School to travel to
Gresham's sister city of Ebetsu,
Japan, between Feb. 5-15, 2009, as
a representative of the city.
She learned she was going to
Japan on Oct. 15 after being called
to the principal's office.
In her congratulation letter, Eb
etsu Exchange CoordinatorChap
erone and teacher Tina Hargaden
wrote: "What became clear to us is
that you are a very high quality stu
dent with a great number of skills
and talents. Clearly, you applied
because you are a leader amongst
your peers and have a desire to
experience new things. That alone
says a great deal about you."
As part of the exchange program,
Savannah and the other seven students will participate in weekly
Japanese culture classes and learn to speak Japanese and create a
formal introduction in the language. They also will learn how to net
and proper Japanese manners.
In addition, her family will house a student from Khetsu when
they visit Gresham from Dec. 5-11.
"I'm so excited to go to Japan so that I can learn about the culture,
but also share my Native American culture with my host family,"
Savannah said.
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Savannah Ingram
Spirit Mountain hosting Nov. 8
'Between Friends' concert
Spirit Mountain Casino will host a benefit concert in its new state-of-the-art
Events Center in Grand Ronde on Saturday, Nov. 8, to
help combat growing local hunger issues.
In conjunction with Share of Vancouver and local artists, the ca
sino will host "Between Friends" featuring well-known local female
rhythm-and-blues, blues and jazz artists Linda Hornbuckle, Ellen
Whyte, Lady Kat, Duffy Bishop, LaRhonda Steele, Janice Scroggins,
Karen Therese and Native American performer Myrtle Brown.
The concert starts at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7. Tickets, which
are general admission for $30 each, are on sale though Tickets Oregon
at www.ticketsoregon.com.
Proceeds will benefit Share's Children's Hunger Initiative and
Hot Meals programs. The first 550 people to purchase tickets will
receive a free compact disc from the artists and a gift from Spirit
Mountain Casino.
Currently, Share feeds 500 people daily with its Hot Meals Pro
gram, 150 children weekly with its Backpack Program and 250
children with its Summer Lunch Program. The concert's goal is to
raise enough money to double those numbers.
The concert features a fabulous lineup of local artists, which will
truly be a wonderful event for the community," said Diane Christie,
Share's executive director. "We'd like to thank all of the sponsors
and artists, especially Spirit Mountain Casino, for the contributions
this event will bring to our Children's Hunger Initiative."
"We are excited to be a part of this year's Between Friends concert
with Share," said Tribal member and Spirit Mountain Casino Public
Relations Manager James Buxman. "Supporting the efforts to help
feed the hungry during their time of need makes a sponsorship like
this special to the Spirit Mountain family."