Landfill project isn’t as first promised

Thursday, Jul 10 2008, 8:22 pm

Up in the remote steep canyons of Colusa County, at the end of a dirt road, seems to be an odd place to dump mountains of urban garbage. Yet our neighbors, the Wintun-Cortina Band of Indians, entered into a lease agreement in 1995 with a Canadian company, Earthworks Inc., to develop a landfill. Since then, a lot has changed for the band and even more has changed in the project’s description.

The 1995 project was presented as a way to make life better for the members of the tribe and those living at the rancheria. A recycling and composting center promised to provide jobs and would allow the Indians to resell products for profit.

In 2000, the project description promised the garbage would be baled and dumped and covered with fill dirt. A materials recovery center would be on site for recycling purposes. More importantly, the project’s purpose was to benefit the tribe.

In 2008, the “new” construction plans for the landfill have been submitted for approval. Gone are the recycling and composting center along with the job opportunities first promised. A water well will be buried beneath tons of loose garbage, and sewage sludge will be accepted. It is questionable whether this project will actually benefit the tribe.

The proponents/developers say they are within their legal boundaries to overstep both California environmental law and county regulations due to tribal sovereignty. We all know that the environment does not respect either legal or political boundaries. Therefore, decisions about major actions such as the Cortina landfill need to be taken seriously. This is no time to lie down and let the bulldozers roll.

Colleen Ferrini

Williams

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Reader's comments

Poncho is typical of those who would prefer that the California Native people would have remained forgotten and silent. That being said, anyone who does not believe that the Colusa Casino has not had an overall positive impact upon all of Colusa County is blind. The Colusa tribe, by way of its casino and farming operation, provides a lot of cash that ends up benefitting all the citizens of Colusa County. But back to the matter of hand, the Cortina Dump. Of all the hairbrained ideas! Far better that Colusa County were to become a mecca of Indian Casinos than to build a dump in the homeland of the tribe! The liability issues that will be left to their descendents is outrageous, because the idea that a dumpsite will never leak into the groundwater system is a high hope, indeed. Anyone who has explored these local hills can attest to the instability of them. Whole mountainsides are known to slip. During the winter, dry streambeds become raging floods, stopping at nothing, causing huge boulders to be moved. No, it sounds as if the investors of this project are pulling a fast one over the vulnerable tribe. You take a group of people who have had nothing, and have not the experience or expertise of dealing with the kinds of sharks that are waiting for this kind of opportunity, and here sits a recipe for disaster. I do have a few questions, however. As a member of another California tribe, I'm wondering what will become of Cortina Rancheria when the few residents will be driven from their homes due to a stinking dump? Can an Indian Reservation remain an Indian Reservation when it no longer has any tribal members living on it? Has anyone made any suggestion as to what is to become of the current residents? Does anyone even care? Are they just to be sacrificed on an alter of garbage?
Coaster - Aug 04, 2008 01:27:01 PM	Remove Comment


Poncho, stick to the subject, the landfill, and do not ramble about the Casino issues. It seems like if you are attacking the Native Americans rather than disagreeing with their decision to have a landfill built in their land. It is not a good idea to have and unregulated landfill in Colusa County and this must be stopped, it seem like this big corporation is just trying to deepen the pockets of people who disregard the meaning of the Native American land-based spirituality. The relationship between the land and the people was one of inter dependence. Perhaps it is best expressed by Geronimo, the Apache leader when he says For each tribe of men Usen created He also made a home. In the land for any particular tribe He placed whatever would be best for the welfare of that tribe…thus it was in the beginning, the apaches and their homes each created for the other by Usen Himself. When they are taken from these homes they sicken and die. Building a landfill in Tribal land is anathema to the significance of the land of the Native Peoples, and underestimates the struggles that Native Americans have gone through to get back their land. I doubt that the ancestors of the Wintun Cortina would go to struggles to get back some land and convert it into a dump.
Leo Uribe - Jul 25, 2008 08:43:19 AM	Remove Comment


If this happens the Indians will not be governed and can literally ruin all the under ground water in our area. Nothing good has come from having the Indians build casino's around California. Embezzlement money in Colusa County has been traced back to the casino. The traffic going out there is ruining our streets and highways and "WE" are going to end up paying for it. Please stand up and make sure that this dump site is not allowed. Our water ways will be ruined for our kids.
Poncho - Jul 23, 2008 05:30:48 PM	Remove Comment

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