Yakama Chairman Calls for Columbia River Cleanup

The Yakama Nation calls upon the state and federal governments to clean up polluted sections of the Columbia River that are contaminating fish. 

 

 

 

The call for action followed the September 23, 2013, release of fish consumption advisories by the Oregon Health Authority and Washington Department of Health.  The advisories confirm what the Yakama Nation has known for decades. The federal and state governments can no long ignore the need for greater natural resource protections and broader cleanup of sites impacting the Columbia River. 

 

The Yakama Nation has: 

 

• Identified and prioritized contaminated sites along the Columbia focusing on sites that require full and complete cleanup actions to protect Columbia River resources

 

 

• Expressed concerns to the federal government and to the states of Washington and Oregon about contamination adversely affecting Columbia River resources

 

 

• Demanded full and complete cleanup actions for the protection of Columbia River resources 

 

 

• Reminded the state and federal governments of the Yakama Nation’s Treaty resources in the Columbia River

 

 

Rather than addressing the contamination, the Tribes and people in the region are once again being told to reduce our reliance on the Columbia River’s fish. This is unacceptable. The focus should not be ‘Do not eat’—it should be ‘Clean up’ the Columbia River.

 

 

Media Coverage can be seen below: