Tribal Council approves grant application for salmon recovery efforts

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals editor

Tribal Council approved a grant application to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, that, if awarded, will provide up to $9.5 million to improve critical salmon habitat at the Tribe’s tumwata village project in Oregon City.

The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund grant application was approved at the Wednesday, June 17, council meeting.

“This grant will be used by the Engineering and Community Development Department for habitat improvements at tumwata village to improve juvenile survival for salmon, steelhead and lamprey through restoration and expansion of habitat,” Grants Program Manager Wendy Sparks said during a Tuesday, June 16, Legislative Action Committee meeting.

Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George noted that the grant description fits in with a master plan for the water inlet at the tumwata project.

“I’m excited about that and it’s wonderful to hear that we have the opportunity that it will be paid under federal grant dollars and not Tribal dollars for that,” he said. “It’s the healing part we look at for tumwata, the salmon recovery and for our eels.”  

In other news, Tribal Council:

• Approved an application to Indian Health Service for its Capital Infrastructure Funds grant for up to $1.285 million for replace the nearly 30-year-old HVAC and mechanical systems at the Tribal Health & Wellness Center;
• Approved an application to Indian Health Service for its FY26 Small Ambulatory Program grant for up to $3.5 million to renovate the Tribal Health & Wellness Center and pharmacy;
• Approved an application to the Oregon Health Authority for its Rural Health Transformation Catalyst Program grant for up to $990,000 to launch a comprehensive withdrawal management program;
• Approved an application to the Department of Education for its American Indian/Alaska Native Student Success Plan grant for up to $145,000 to provide personnel and fringe benefits for a lead cook, as well as supplies and food for the Shawash-iliʔi Skul kitchen;
• Approved reappointing Jerri Schmidt to the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission with a term expiring June 30, 2029;
• Approved a contract with Scholten Construction of Willamina to begin work for phase 3.1 of the Wind River Apartments in Tribal housing. The job will include construction of two apartment buildings with eight low-income housing units;
• Approved an application to the Administration for Native Americans for its Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Grant for up to $323,000 provide the Tribal Office of Ceded Lands funds to evaluate and update systems and standards in regard to environmental reviews of Tribal and non-Tribal projects affecting Tribal homeland resources;
• Approved an application to the Spirit Mountain Community Fund for its Tribal grants program for up to $100,000 for help support the Shawash-iliʔi Skul expansion project;
• Approved four limited waivers of sovereign immunity for various software programs, including Elegoo, Securus Technologies, RoadEng and Avenza Mapping Software;
• And approved enrolling two infants into the Tribe because they meet the enrollment requirements in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance. Total enrollment counts in 2026 include 49 infants, nine non-infant emergency enrollments and 83 non-infants.

To watch the entire meeting, visit www.grandronde.org and click on the Videos tab.