On June 27, 2019, the Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, the Honorable James E. Campos, visited the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in Pendleton, Oregon. He was joined by the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Charles Smith, the Director of the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Kevin Frost and Senior Advisor in the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity Kelly Mitchell. CTUIR leadership, including the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees Jeremy Wolf, welcomed the DOE and guided their tour of the reservation. Next, Patrick Mills, Interim Program Manager of the Energy and Environmental Services Program at the CTUIR Field Station Science and Engineering Laboratory, led the group on a tour of the lab and greenhouses. The visit concluded with a presentation on the First Foods Policy Program, which is committed to protecting, restoring and enhancing their reserved rights to fish, hunt, and gather traditional foods and medicines throughout the land ceded in the Treaty of 1855.  

Director Campos’ visit, along with Director’s Smith and Frost, underscores the DOE commitment to the Native American stakeholders to enhance their participation in all Department of Energy programs.