WASHINGTON DC – Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $577,943 to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI) for programs to address environmental and public health concerns related to pollution.
“Communities need accurate information on water and air quality to quickly identify and address any problems,” Merkley said. “This federal funding for the CTCLUSI will help shine a light on environmental issues while giving the Tribe better tools to keep themselves safe from dangerous pollution.”
“The ability to monitor air and water quality with accuracy and in real time is essential to public health,” Wyden said. “I’m glad the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Indians have earned this federal investment for their community, and I’ll keep battling for Tribes throughout Oregon to secure similar resources.”
According to the senators, this new EPA funding will enable the CTCLUSI to keep building on its environmental efforts to continually strengthen and repair the Tribal community’s lands, air, and water.
Monday’s grant will go toward conducting water quality planning, monitoring, data management and reporting, and non-point source assessment and management activities.
The funding will also support quality monitoring and data management and the implementation of a Tribal response program to address assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfield sites, the senators said.
“Over the last several years the EPA Performance Partnership Grant has been a backbone to the various programs in the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower, Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians’ (CTCLUSI) Department of Culture and Natural Resources. Department staff work hard to perform functions within the Tribe that align with this multi-year grant which assists to fund water and air quality, along with brownfield cleanup programs. These programs allow the Tribe to continually monitor and collect important baseline environmental data within our ancestral territory. The Tribe appreciates Sen. Merkley’s continued efforts to support funding for Tribal Environmental Programming,” said Brad Kneaper, Tribal Chair, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians.
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