The chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is calling for transparency and environmental accountability following the white liquor spill at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, Washington.
In a statement released this week, Warm Springs Tribal Chairman Dennis White III expressed condolences to the families of workers who died in the industrial accident but also emphasized the tribe’s concerns about potential impacts to the Columbia River.
“First and foremost, we are saddened to hear of the workers who lost their lives in Longview,” White said. “We extend our prayers and deepest condolences to their families, friends, coworkers, and the entire Longview community during this difficult time.”
White said the tribe has a responsibility to speak for the Columbia River, which has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations.
“We are river people. We come from the Big River,” he said. “Our river is a way of life, and water is life. We have a responsibility to speak for our river—we are its voice.”
The chairman noted that the Warm Springs Tribe reserved fishing rights along the Columbia River and its tributaries in the Treaty of 1855. Those rights, he said, have been repeatedly upheld by the United States Supreme Court and remain central to the tribe’s cultural, spiritual, and economic well-being.
White expressed concern that contaminated water from the spill was directed into the Columbia River during the emergency response.
“When decisions are made during an environmental emergency, the long-term protection of natural resources must be considered alongside immediate public safety concerns,” he said.
Although officials have reported that river conditions currently meet established safety standards, White said the tribe remains concerned about potential long-term effects on fish habitat, salmon populations, and future salmon runs.
“We will continue to advocate for transparency, accountability, and the highest level of environmental protection,” White said. “We owe that responsibility to the Columbia River and to the generations who will depend upon it in the future.”
