Heppner gazette-times., July 02, 2014, Page TEN, Image 10

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TEN - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 2,2014
Working together.
the
Morrow
■Pacific
project
An Open Letter to the
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Dear Tribal Members,
For the past two years, the Morrow Pacific project has worked to develop a fully
enclosed coal export facility at the Port of Morrow that responds to tribal, regulatory
and environmental goals. We also seek a partnership with the Tribes based on
mutual respect, shared benefits, collaboration and cooperation.
A Way to Work Together
Recently, in a letter to the Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation, we suggested a way forward that included the
following:
■ We will make an annual, ongoing contribution to the Tribes of $0.10 per ton,
or up to $800,000 per year at full capacity, to be used as the Tribes wish for
schools, healthcare or community activities.
This is similar to the commitment we have
made to Morrow and Columbia counties.
We will design a job fair/interview program to
encourage tribal employment at the project.
We recognize the importance of protecting
tribal fishing interests, and we have designed
the project with that in mind. For example, we
will provide a fish net replacement program.
We will invest up to $500,000 for a salmon
and stream enhancement project proposed
by the Tribes and endorsed by the National
We are committed to
the principle that the
project must meet or
exceed environmental
standards. It must also
provide significant
economic and cultural
benefits to the Tribes.
We seek a way to
work together.
Marine Fisheries Service.
■ We will work with the Tribes to identify and commemorate cultural sites, and
support programs to educate the public about the heritage of the Tribes.
A Call to Find Common Ground
“We can save the
salmon and make
the economy of the
Pacific Northwest
even stronger at the
same time.”
The Preamble to the
Salmon Policy o f the
Confederated Tribes o f the
Umatilla Indian Reservation
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Additional benefits are included in our full letter to the Board of Trustees. While
these are our proposals, we are open to yours as well.
This process will require communication and the willingness to work
cooperatively. We believe this is important not just to Morrow Pacific, but to the
region as a whole. Without the commitment to find common ground, almost no
project on the Columbia River would be able to move forward.
We seek to continue this discussion and hope that you will be part of it. We
welcome your ideas about how we might work together in a way that serves the
Tribes, the community at large, and the river as well as Morrow Pacific. ■
Sincerely,
Clark A. Moseley
President & CEO, Morrow Pacific Project
Share your comments at www.morrowpacific.com
or contact us at infoomorrowpacific.com.
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