Brigham to talk to lawmakers about drought and more
By Terry Murry on Monday, December 27th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will have representatives at both the Washington and Oregon legislatures when their short sessions begin. Before that, however, they have an appearance at a hearing before the Oregon House of Representatives Committee on Water during Legislative Days Jan. 11-13.
CTUIR Interim Deputy Executive Director Matt Johnson said Board of Trustees Chairwoman Kat Brigham will make a presentation to the committee at a hearing that looks back on the drought and how it impacted tribal lands in 2021. She won’t just be talking about the past, though. She will also look to the future.
“Conditions are changing to the point where we’re going to have less water, or the time when the form of what water is coming in, rain or snow, is changing more or less permanently, or is just not doing to be the way it was,” Johnson said.
Last week, House Speaker Tina Kotek disbanded the House Interim Committee on Water and the Committee on Agriculture and Land Use. She then created the House Interim Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, and Water. Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane) is serving as vice-chairman of the new committee.
