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LISTEN TO TRIBES BEFORE BURYING POLLUTION
Upstream decisions should address root causes. Yet the reemerging proposal to dispose of Portland Harbor Superfund contaminated sediment upriver in the Ross Island Lagoon, recently described in Willamette Week as an “elegant solution,” is not yet proven to be viable [“Treasure Island,” March 25]. Ross Island is part of a larger history of land dispossession from Tribal nations through colonial land theft—decisions made without Tribal consent that continue to shape how land and water are governed today. Land ownership and future use decisions of this scale cannot move forward in ways that repeat those profit-driven patterns by sidelining Tribal leadership and community voices.
Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC) elevates the voices of communities most impacted by pollution in the Portland Harbor Superfund site to ensure communities benefit from and lead the cleanup, restoration, and redevelopment of the harbor.
We want to be clear: PHCC leadership is open to dialogue about disposal alternatives, such as Ross Island. Superfund cleanup has justice concerns, whether it’s for fishers, Wasco County farmers or front-line communities reliant on the Willamette River. Many of our coalition members have concerns about moving sediment upstream related to not knowing how secure contamination would be over time in an underwater containment cell, especially with the overlapping Cascadia earthquake subduction zone. The largest Superfund cleanup in the country demands that robust community engagement and Tribal consultation must occur early and inform meaningful disposal decisions. Afterwards, PHCC will determine with our members whether to endorse the Ross Island-Portland Harbor sediment disposal concept.
In health,
Candice Jimenez, MPH (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs) Board Chair, Portland Harbor Community Coalition
Cassie Cohen, MSWExecutive Director, Portland Harbor Community Coalition
NAME PORTLAND STREETS FOR WOMEN
On renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard [“Take It Down,” WW, March 25], how about honoring the Mexican lady psilocybin shaman who “started it all”? Via María Sabina has a nice ring to it. Or something more conventional…but if we pick a woman we won’t have to do this shit again.
Karlita Nabours-Palermo
North Portland
HELP VICTIMS ON PORTLAND STREETS
Thank you to Willamette Week for its thorough reporting on the ongoing crisis of sex trafficking along 82nd Avenue [“Policy to Crack Down on Sex Trafficking Meets Pushback From Portland City Council,” wweek.com, March 23]. As a community mental health provider who has worked with children exploited by third-party traffickers, I have seen firsthand how central this corridor is to trafficking activity in our region. It is long past time for the city to take meaningful action.
I also appreciate that the article included perspectives about how enforcement strategies targeting nuisance properties may impact individuals engaged in the sex trade. Any policy aimed at curbing trafficking must carefully consider unintended consequences for vulnerable populations. That said, we cannot allow prolonged debate to delay interventions that could reduce ongoing harm.
Thoughtful, balanced solutions are both possible and urgently needed. I hope City Council continues these discussions with a focus on actionable outcomes that disrupt trafficking networks while protecting victims.
A multifaceted approach is essential. For example, vehicles play a critical role in how traffickers transport victims, evade detection, and operate across jurisdictions. Tools such as license plate readers can help law enforcement identify suspect vehicles, locate missing and exploited children, and intervene in time-sensitive situations.
Given how difficult and dangerous it is for victims to come forward, strategic use of technology becomes even more important. We must act with urgency, care, and resolve to address the long-standing exploitation along 82nd Avenue.
Elizabeth Cochran
Southwest Portland
LIVE FREE, WATCH BLAZERS
I suspect I may be the 1,977th person to point this out, but it seems Garrett Andrews missed the good news about watching our Blazers without cable [“Television for You,” WW, March 25]. Games have been free to watch on KATU channel 2.2 over the air since last season with an antenna, which the team was good enough to send me for free through a limited-time offer.Rip City!
George Lewis III
Southeast Portland
Letters to the editor must include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words. Submit to:
P.O. Box 10770
Portland, OR 97296
Email: amesh@wweek.com
