| Remarks by Governor Kulongoski |
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| May 16, 2008 |
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Tribal Information Day
REMARKS BY GOVERNOR TED KULONGOSKI
Friday, May 16, 2008
Salem, Oregon
Thank you, and welcome again to our State Capitol.
It is with great pleasure to join today with Oregon’s Tribes and with scores of state employees to celebrate American Indian Week with Tribal Information Day at the Capitol.
Tribal Information Day is our opportunity to learn more about the rich culture and heritage of Oregon’s Tribes and to acknowledge and honor the sovereignty of Native Americans in our great State.
This year’s theme – honoring, protecting and enhancing our cultural and natural resources – is a theme that should guide all of our actions inside this building.
Since time immemorial, the First Oregonians have been faithful stewards of water and other natural resources, and as Oregonians, we should be working to continue that legacy for future generations.
I have been fortunate to be able to partner with the Tribes to protect our precious resources as Governor over the last five and a half years, and I look forward to strengthening that partnership in the coming years, particularly as we go into the next legislative session.
One issue of common concern that I will ask for your help with is WATER – water quality, water supply and conservation. Today, Oregon’s water problems are real and increasing in urgency. Global warming and climate change pose serious threats to our water supply and water quality.
To address this threat, we need to adopt a comprehensive water strategy that allows us to sustain the region’s economy and to sustain our way of life.
In February we were successful in working together to pass Senate Bill 1069, to address water shortages in the Umatilla Basin. That is only the first step.
Water issues are among my top priorities for the 2009 legislative session. The State’s close cooperation with the Tribes will be a crucial part of any successful water strategy.
The State and the Tribes also will continue their work to protect forests, wildlife and fish. I applaud creative proposals to manage Oregon’s forests for sustainable yield, for forest health and for fuels reduction while protecting old growth stands, essential fish and wildlife habitat and other values.
We join together in our support of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement to resolve water conflicts, restore salmon populations, remove aged and destructive dams and bring a new prosperity to the basin. And, while I am not a party to the recent agreements with the federal government on the Federal Columbia River Power System, I appreciate Tribal efforts to secure funding for hatcheries, habitat and tribal infrastructure.
Oregon’s Tribes and its non-tribal communities share one important value.
The connection between our natural resources and our cultural heritage is inseparable. Water, salmon, forests, mountains and wildlife are an essential part of our traditions and our way of life, yesterday, today and tomorrow. The care we afford to these resources determines the quality of our lives and the strength of our economy.
Through strong government-to government relations and partnership, we will identify countless other areas where we can stand together.
Following our tradition, I have a proclamation in hand declaring this week to be American Indian Week. I will now read the proclamation and sign it.
Thank you for coming to Salem to celebrate and share with us your culture and tradition.
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