An Affiliate of Save Family Farming

An affiliate of Save Family Farming

PO Box 72 | Burlington, WA 98233

| 360.303.9123

May 24, 2017

Senator Patty Murray

154 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Murray:

We are urgently seeking your assistance in resolving an issue that if left unresolved will likely serve to negatively affect farmer and Tribal relations for many years to come.

The issue is the request by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community to change their Constitution to extend their Tribal jurisdiction to an undefined area well beyond the reservation boundaries. Their proposed Constitution, approved by a vote of the Community on May 23, deviates from the Bureau of Indian Affairs definitions of territory and jurisdiction. We believe that major reasons for this proposed change are the desire of the Swinomish to impede the development of a competing casino sought by the neighboring Samish Tribe and the long standing effort of the Swinomish to limit, restrict, control or eliminate Skagit county agriculture. That effort took strong public form in the malicious “What’s Upstream” campaign.

We recognize your strong support for Tribal interests and we also recognize the strong support Tribes enjoy in public opinion. However, we wish to point out that the Swinomish stand alone in this effort at greatly expanded territorial jurisdiction and their actions stand in contrast to actions of other Washington Tribes including the Lummi, Tulalip and Stillaguamish Tribes. All all have partnerships with farmers where the Swinomish, despite the urging of former EPA Region 10 Administrator, adamantly refuse to participate in the state and federal cooperative processes.

This action of the Swinomish is creating significant fear and concern in the community as well expressed by letters submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Secretary of the Interior by the Skagit County Commissioners. Unfortunately, this bold proposal is putting our elected officials, including you, in the difficult position of choosing to defend the principles of democracy that will help preserve our farms, communities and the legitimate interests of the other three Skagit Tribes or choosing to support a single Tribe on a mission to exert unreasonable and likely illegal off-reservation jurisdiction.

Swinomish Tribal leaders will likely try to convince you this is “mere housekeeping” and it only addresses Tribal jurisdiction over Tribal members off the reservation. However, we urge you to look at the language of the proposed change to see if that is the intent, why it is not more clearly detailed. As written, the language will serve as a basis for endless litigation and conflict not just with farmers and our County government, but also other local Tribes who also inhabited this land.

We seek your help in dissuading the Tribe from this mission, and failing that, we ask that you express your concern to the Secretary of the Interior about this proposal. The Secretary has 45 days after the May 22 affirmative vote of the Tribal Community so we are asking you indicate the position you will take on this by Friday, June 9. It is extremely important for the farmers in Skagit County to know clearly where you stand on this issue. We will report to them the response or lack of response we receive from you during the week of June 12.

For additional information including relevant letters and documents we invite you to visit the Skagit County and Skagit Family Farmers websites on this issue:

Sincerely,

Jason VanderKooy

Executive Director

Skagit Family Farmers

Gerald Baron

Executive Director

Save Family Farmers

Bill Schmidt

President

Skagit Farm Bureau