Makah hatchery to make improvements

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded four contracts to three companies totaling $336,921.44 to make upgrades at the Makah National Fish Hatchery.

The projects, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will employ about 20 people.

Burton Construction will repair the main electrical service panel at the hatchery to meet energy efficiency and safety requirements.

Sabyr Contractors will repair and replace outdated electrical pumps.

Cherokee General will repair the hatchery roof and rehabilitate the deteriorating trough piping system.

The current state of these systems and facilities at the hatchery jeopardize its ability to meet regional salmon and steelhead production goals.

The role of the hatchery is to help restore depleted runs of salmon and steelhead to the Sooes and Wa’atch rivers.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gave $3 billion to the Department of the Interior. Of that amount, $280 million in funding goes to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for projects nationwide.

To follow the progress of projects funded with the act, see www.recovery.gov.

 

Muckleshoot Tribe invests more than $4.1 million

In the spirit of potlatch giving practiced by the Tribe for hundreds of years, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe provided more than $4.1 million to Washington nonprofits and other governments serving communities throughout the state last year.

The Muckleshoot Charity Fund assisted more than 200 Washington schools, churches and charities, allowing them to continue their valuable programs and services.

Like all governments, the Muckleshoot Tribe uses its revenues to fund infrastructure, housing, health care, education and other services for its citizens. The Tribe also honors its cultural tradition of sharing with those in need.

In addition to the Tribe’s Charity Fund that supports education, health care, human services, disaster assistance, the environment, culture and arts and other programs, the Tribe’s Community Impact Funds are provided to other local governments for fire, police and other services as well as to agencies’ programs to mitigate potential impacts of the casino.

 

North Idaho tribe emerges as top regional employer

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe has emerged as one of the biggest employers in northern Idaho. The Tribe employed nearly 1,700 workers last year, between employing people at its casinos and other government and business ventures. The Tribe’s clout as an influential regional employer is the subject of a University of Idaho study released recently. Study author and economics professor Steven Peterson says the real story is how the Tribe has diversified and expanded.

The leading employer in the region is Kootenai Health, the parent company of the Kootenai Medical Center.

The study shows about 1,400 people work at the Tribe’s casino, its resort hotel and the Circling Raven Golf Course. Tribal officials expect to hire another 200 workers in 2011 after a $75 million expansion of the hotel and casino.