Recently, the Upper Columbia River Watershed is now the focus of a comprehensive toxics reduction effort. UCUT is now running the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Lead Entity.
CRTRLE is a coordinated UCUT effort engaging the five-member Plateau Tribes to reduce toxic pollution from entering the waterways and ecosystems of the Upper Columbia Basin Watershed. The effort endeavors to recover the ability for tribal communities to connect to traditional foods, recreation, fisheries, plants and animals of the aboriginally occupied landscapes. The CRTRLE is working for the benefit of tribal residents, and all residents and communities living in the upper Columbia River Watershed.
UCUT’s CRTRLE project will engage the five member Tribes of UCUT, selected NGOs, and the communities in reducing toxic pollution entering waterways and ecosystems of the Upper Columbia Basin Watershed. The effort endeavors to create a long-term, durable strategic process that guides collaborative planning and implementation on toxic pollution reduction in the Basin.
The vision is a framework that will be passed onto the next generation. Specifically, the outcome is to recover the ability for tribal communities to access and connect to traditional foods, recreation, fisheries, plants, and animals of the aboriginally occupied landscapes. For the UCUT Tribes this is a sovereignty issue. Just as clean water and salmon recovery is vital to tribal communities and sovereignty, the benefits of clean water, healthy landscapes, and abundant fish will be for the benefit of all.
The CRTRLE Coordinates with the environment Committee and is run by the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group (CRTR) which has representatives from all five tribes of the Upper Columbia Basin.
The group is made up of UCUT central staff and tribal natural resources staff. These individuals provide the necessary technical expertise to guide and create the structures of a successful, collaborative toxics reduction program.
Key Information:
- Caroline Keever – Environment Project Manager
- Email: caroline@ucut-nsn.org
- Phone: (509) 564-5475
- Jerry White, Jr – Environment Project Coordinator
- Email jerry@ucut-nsn.org
- Phone: (509) 475-1228
