Watchlist: ‘Confederated Tribes protest PGE lawsuit over Willamette Falls’

By Kamiah Koch

Social media/digital journalist

Tribal members gathered at Lownsdale Square, across from the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland Monday, April 21, to drum and sing in protest against Portland General Electric condemning land at Willamette Falls which would limit Tribal access to the falls. 

Inside the courthouse, the Tribe was participating as an intervenor in the lawsuit.

Local news channel KOIN 6 attended the rally and aired coverage of the demonstration during their evening news hour.

“A rally cry outside the federal courthouse is drumming up opposition to PGE’s request to condemn 5 acres of land along the banks of Willamette Falls,” KOIN 6 Reporter Joelle Jones said as video of Tribal member Nakoa Mercier is shown, drumming in Lownsdale Square.

The video shows about 30 people gathered in the park with drums and posters.

KOIN 6 interviewed Tribal Council member Kathleen George, who was in the courthouse on the first day of the trial. She emphasized the importance that all Oregonians have a right to access the falls.

“If this place is taken into private-property ownership, PGE will determine whether or not Oregonians can go there and under what terms,” George said. 

Jones explains PGE’s stance is that the land is being condemned to ensure public safety at the utility company’s hydroelectric station, per the company’s right under the Federal Power Act.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is now challenging that request because the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission previously authorized the Tribe to fish at the falls off a temporary fishing platform.

“Our efforts to restore that fishery, to honor that tradition and to bring those things back home would be ended, essentially,” Tribal member Jade Unger said in the KOIN 6 interview.

KOIN 6’s coverage of the protests ends with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek responding to questions about this trial.

“At the end of the day I hope we can respect our sovereign nations, as well as get public access to the falls” Kotek said. “I think that would be great for the area and I think Oregonians deserve to be able to see it.”

Smoke Signals has extensive coverage of this trial on our website and our own video coverage of the rally on our YouTube and Facebook page. 

You can watch KOIN 6’s coverage at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKR02eglgKY or find the video listed on our YouTube “Watchlist” playlist.