Join us for “Environmental Justice and Public Health—The Columbia’s Newest Superfund Site”
Prepare for a dynamic discussion featuring cultural and science experts from Yakama Nation Fisheries Program, Davis/Yellowash Washines and Laura Shira.
You’ll learn about:
- History of Bradford Island and surrounding waters
- Significance of the area to Yakama Nation and other Tribes;
- What type of pollution impacts the area;
- Environmental justice impacts on people who rely on the Columbia; and
- How you can make a difference.
What: “Environmental Justice and Public Health: The Columbia’s Newest Superfund Site” Webinar
When: Thursday, May 25 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: Zoom! RSVP and we will email you a link for the webinar. Interested but can’t make it? We’ve got you covered. RSVP and we’ll email you a recording after the webinar airs.
Cost: Free! Please invite anyone you know who cares about the Columbia River, healthy fish, and environmental justice.
Why this discussion matters:
Have you ever visited Bonneville Dam? Or wondered about Bradford Island—the island that supports the middle of the dam—as you drove through the majestic Columbia River Gorge?
Did you know that resident fish—fish like bass, carp, and sturgeon—caught upstream of Bonneville Dam near Bradford Island contain some of the highest levels of toxic pollution in the Pacific Northwest? People depend on healthy, locally-caught fish, but resident fish in this area are too toxic to eat.
For over four decades the U.S. government dumped toxic waste at Bradford Island and the surrounding waters of the Columbia River, leaving a legacy of harmful pollution. Now this area is so contaminated with cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, lead, pesticides, and petroleum chemicals that the fish that live in this area all year long are too toxic to eat.
Last spring, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed Bradford Island and surrounding waters as a Superfund Site. One year later, the promised deadline to complete the required Federal Facility Agreement has passed, no clear timeline has been communicated, and the pollution remains.
We need your support on pushing for a swift and thorough cleanup of Bradford Island and surrounding waters. We hope you can join us for this important conversation.
About the speakers:
Davis/Yellowash Washines (Yakama) dedicates his life to protecting the welfare of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation), the Yakama people and the rights guaranteed to them by the U.S.-Yakama Treaty of 1855. As the government affairs liaison in Yakama Nation’s Fisheries Program Superfund Section, Davis has been instrumental in advancing the Tribe’s decade-long effort to hold the U.S. government accountable for cleanup of Bradford Island, located near Bonneville Dam, and the surrounding waters of the Columbia River. For over 35 years, Davis worked as a Yakama Tribal police officer and chief of police, and later the chief of police for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
Laura Klasner Shira joined the Yakama Nation Fisheries Program in 2015 to assist in their efforts to honor, protect, and restore the Columbia River basin. Her work focuses on cleanup of contaminated industrial sites and other environmental issues that impact the Columbia River water quality and aquatic resources. Prior to joining the Yakama team, Laura worked on similar issues as a regulator for the State of Washington and an environmental engineering consultant in Minnesota. In a past life, Laura also taught high school math and science.
Columbia Riverkeeper thanks the East Multnomah County Soil and Water Conservation District Partners in Conservation Grant Program and the Spirit Mountain Community Fund for supporting public engagement in the Bradford Island cleanup.
It's been one year since the being listed as a Superfund Site--what's happening now?
Learn more about the problems at Bradford Island and how it got listed as a Superfund site.
