Depot land deal is done
By Terry Murry on Friday, March 3rd, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – The day that kept being postponed has finally arrived, as the U.S. Army and the members of the Columbia Development Authority have signed the agreement to turn the Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot land back to local control. The CDA is comprised of representatives from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the ports of Morrow, the Oregon National Guard, Morrow County, and Umatilla County.
“I can rattle off four commissioners who worked on this previously to me, so to see that the end work is here is fantastic,” Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer said. “We couldn’t be happier.”
A section of the land close to the intersection of interstates 84 and 82 is earmarked for industrial development. Shafer said it would not include food processing. Some of the land will be used for a wildlife refuge developed by CTUIR. In addition, the Oregon National Guard will operate the Raymond F. Rees Training Center on depot land.
Shafer said the CDA has been approached by businesses interested in the industrial portion of the land.
“The sky’s the limit,” Shafer said. “It has rail access and the river’s right there. We are extremely excited to have this opportunity. You could go to 34 counties in Oregon, and they don’t have it. Just Umatilla and Morrow.”
