The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is speaking out about the health of the Columbia River system following a major industrial disaster in Longview, Washington, that released corrosive chemicals into local waterways and killed workers at the facility.
The Warm Springs Tribe — whose members hold treaty-reserved fishing rights on the Columbia River and its tributaries — is urging state and federal authorities to increase focus on river protection in the aftermath of the Longview paper mill incident. Emergency response crews finished flushing a drainage system around the mill in early June, but tribal leaders say the event should prompt a broader reckoning with industrial risks to the waterway.
A River Central to Tribal Life
The Columbia River is not simply an economic resource for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs — it is a cultural and spiritual cornerstone. Tribal members have fished the river's salmon runs for thousands of years under treaty rights that predate Oregon statehood. The river's health is directly tied to the tribe's ability to exercise those rights and maintain cultural practices that define the community's identity.
Any industrial contamination event on the Columbia or its tributaries carries implications that extend far beyond immediate human health impacts — it threatens fish, habitat, and a way of life.
Longview Disaster Backdrop
The Longview paper mill disaster — which involved the release of a corrosive "white liquor" chemical used in papermaking — resulted in fatalities and contamination of nearby drainage systems. Emergency crews worked for days to contain the spill and flush affected waterways, but the scope of the environmental damage was still being assessed as of early June.
The Warm Springs Tribe's call for attention to Columbia River protections comes as they and other Columbia Basin tribes continue to advocate for dam removal, habitat restoration, and stronger industrial oversight along the river.
Tribal Advocacy
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are members of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), a coalition of treaty tribes that monitors Columbia River fisheries and advocates for tribal fishing rights. The commission has long pressed for more aggressive federal and state oversight of industrial operations that pose risks to the river system.
Tribal members and community advocates interested in following Columbia River protection efforts can visit critfc.org or the tribe's website at warmsprings-nsn.gov.