The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are calling for sustained attention to the Columbia River in the wake of a deadly industrial disaster at a Longview, Washington paper mill that released chemicals into the regional waterway system earlier this month.
As environmental response crews worked to contain the immediate effects of the spill, tribal leaders emphasized that the effects on the Columbia River — a resource central to the Tribes’ cultural identity, treaty rights, and food sovereignty — could extend far beyond what current cleanup timelines anticipate.
Why the Tribe Has Standing to Speak
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, whose reservation spans more than 640,000 acres across Jefferson and Wasco counties, have federal treaty rights to fish the Columbia River — rights that predate Oregon statehood. Salmon and other fish species are not just a dietary staple but a ceremonial and cultural cornerstone for the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute peoples whose descendants make up the tribal membership.
Any long-term degradation of Columbia River water quality or fish populations has direct, treaty-protected implications for the Tribes and their members.
The Tribe’s Call to Action
Tribal representatives told OPB that their concern is not just the immediate disaster response, but the cumulative impact of industrial incidents on a river system that is already under stress from warming temperatures, altered hydrology, and declining salmon runs. The Tribes urged state and federal agencies to ensure that long-term environmental monitoring is robust and that tribal voices are included in cleanup and recovery decisions — not consulted after the fact.
The Longview incident, in which white liquor — a highly caustic chemical used in paper production — was released, killed workers and prompted emergency environmental response operations across the Washington-Oregon border region.
Local Context
For Jefferson County residents, the Columbia River may feel distant, but the Deschutes River — which runs through the county and feeds into the Columbia — connects this community directly to the larger watershed. What happens downstream echoes upstream in terms of regulatory attention, resource management, and environmental policy.
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs have historically been an important partner in regional environmental stewardship, including a celebrated bighorn sheep reintroduction program that earned the Tribes a federal wildlife award earlier this year. Their voice on the Columbia River carries both legal weight and ecological credibility.
For more information on the Tribes’ positions and activities, visit warmsprings-nsn.gov.