Roy Sampsel
Good afternoon.
Iím pleased to be here and I questioned myself when asked, why me?
And I decided that it was because I was old and had many stories that we could tell.
The truth is as I look around this stage, I see the intellect, the professionalism and
the passion that people were willing to share as a means by which to help me learn how tot
better do what the tribes, and the fishers and the citizens of that tribal community
wanted to have this river continue to provide and to meet the costs associated with the
success that we all enjoy.
Let us remember that 25 years ago, one of the books that was being written about this
system, and about this particular act was power at cost and the question was, at cost
to who?
Not power at the lowest cost, but there was a cost associated with the ability to celebrate
75 years later, the success that this region has had.
And the marvel at the fact that this wonderful, non-polluting resource has contributed to
the economic well-being of this entire region.
But there was in fact a cost to culture and to environment and that took a long time to
recognize.
It was not an easy start, and many on this stage can tell you that it was not easily
accomplished.
So, the collaboration that Steve refers to is not an accident that just happened to happen.
It is a willingness to recognize that what had happened in the past needed to be addressed
more effectively than it ever had been.
And itís no accident the largest fish and wildlife restoration project in the world
is led by the gentlement on this stage that sit here now and the ones that served before.
I want to tell you that without this collaboration we could not succeed for the next 75 years,
and we must.
Thatís the future that we promised our children.
Be they Indian children and non-indian children, thatís what we have said that we will do
and continue to do, because we believe that there is no challenge.
That working together we cannot collaboratively address and solve.
I believe that from the bottom of my heart, I believed it when we started this battle.
I believed it when we were first looking at recognition of tribal governments again.
Remember in the 1950s after this dam was built, the policy of the United States was to terminate
tribal governments.
In the 1960s and the early 70s, the recognition of tribes to have their first self determination
has individual governments began to interface with the knowledge that treaty rights meant
something.
That the Congress and the federal government through itís judicial systems said, ëthose
were not casual documents those were promises.í And the agencies who have the responsibility
to manage the system, for all the citizens of the united states and for this region in
particular have an obligation to do thatÖ.
Öa trust in treaty obligation that this nation held secure.
That law.
The IndianÖ Act (inaudible for me) wasnít past until 1975 and we didnít begin to enter
into what we talk about now, this collaborative spirit until probably the late 70s, the early
80s and itís been maturing every since.
I donít share that with you to say, gee, that was really a terrible time, I share it
with you to say, look at the wonderful progress that we have made together and we must continue
to be committed to make that happen.
That the future of this river, the future of this great resource , and how it works
and continues to work should be an inspiration to us and to the world.
And I am honored to have been a part of it and continue to be.
Thank you.