Earth Ministry/WAIPL and local faith leaders Rabbi Seth Goldstein and The Rev. John Rosenberg were quoted in this press release about the release of Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee's report on replacing services provided by the four lower Snake River dams.
The focus of the Spirit of the Waters Totem Pole Journey was to uplift the Indigenous-led movement to honor the spirit of a free-flowing Lower Snake River and restore the health of salmon and orca. Witnessing these events was a beautiful experience in which we heard Native speakers share passionately about their connection to the land, water, air, and of course the salmon.
The faith community has been asked to show up in solidarity with Lummi tribal members, the House of Tears Carvers, intertribal nonprofit Se’Si’Le, and Native communities across the Pacific Northwest to support a Totem Pole Journey uplifting the Indigenous-led movement to remove the Lower Snake River dams and restore the health of salmon and orcas.
On Saturday, April 2, people gathered in Olympia to show their support for a comprehensive solution to breaching the Lower Snake River dams that will restore salmon populations and invest in communities along the river. We were honored to hear Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh speak about the sacred work that is salmon recovery and how it aligns with the Shmita year.
Senators Cantwell and Murray and the Northwest delegation recently secured nearly $3 billion in federal funding for imperiled salmon and community investments. In response, Earth Ministry/WAIPL joined with coalition partners to run newspaper ads that thank the senators and ask for their continued leadership in restoring a free-flowing Lower Snake River.
Click to watch a video of highlights of the NW Tribes' Salmon & Orca Summit on July 6-7, 2021, put together by the Nez Perce Tribe (Nimiipuu).
In a historic gathering of more than 15 Indian nations, tribal leaders from around the Northwest called for immediate action to save endangered orcas and the salmon they depend on. The call for salmon and orca recovery was joined by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, who each stated dam removal on the Lower Snake River, a tributary of the Columbia, must remain on the table and a comprehensive solution quickly reached to save salmon and orcas from extinction.
Join Earth Ministry/WAIPL in supporting the Lummi elder-led campaign to bring captive Southern Resident orca Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut home from the Miami Seaquarium. We invite you to tweet about Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut using #SacredSeaDaughter.
As dusk fell Thursday night 6/17 on the Snake River, members of the Nimiipuu Nez Perce tribe gathered at Lower Granite Dam with stories about why a free flowing river is critically important for tribal sovereignty. Their messages were amplified with an illuminated banner that says “Honor Treaties” and spotlights projecting messages to save wild salmon, respect treaty rights, and remove the 4 dams on the Lower Snake.
Well, we’re not in Kansas anymore Dorothy! The dust is settling from our spring advocacy efforts – many thanks to all of you who put your faith into action with Earth Ministry / Washington Interfaith Power & Light. Before we all are swept up in summer fun, here’s an update of where things stand with our work for environmental justice in Washington State.
Calling on the President of the United States and the 117th Congress to seize the once-in-a-lifetime congressional opportunity to invest in salmon and river restoration in the Pacific Northwest, charting a stronger, better future for the Northwest, and bringing long-ignored tribal justice to our peoples and homelands.
Following statements from Washington’s Governor and U.S Senators expressing opposition to Rep. Mike Simpson’s (R-ID) proposal to honor treaty rights and save several species of salmon and steelhead on the verge of extinction, the Nez Perce Tribe immediately expressed disappointment in the notable absence of tangible solutions, recognition of the unique congressional opportunity before the Northwest, or acknowledgment of the dire situation that Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead face.
This week, representatives from 12 different Northwest Tribes spent two days discussing advancing a salmon and energy proposal from Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) that could make an unprecedented infrastructure investment in the Pacific Northwest to save imperiled salmon runs, protect inland agriculture industries, and transform the region’s energy supply for a renewable future.
This Letter to the Editor by Rev. Paul Heins was originally published in the Port Townsend Leader on April 7, 2021.
The Yakama Tribal Council raised the breaching of the four Lower Snake River Dams with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, as documented in this article, originally published in The Columbian.
