This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project , a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.

As Gov. Tina Kotek faces an Aug. 8 deadline to decide whether to veto a $45 million appropriation for the Willamette Falls Trust, she is hearing from advocates with strong opinions about the funding, which would help the organization buy 60 acres on the west side of Willamette Falls.

In issuing a notice she might veto the funding as part of House Bill 5006, Kotek placed herself squarely at the center of an intertribal conflict that spans many years and a variety of issues.

The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, which owns the former Blue Heron paper mill on the east bank of Willamette Falls, and their allies the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians want Kotek to veto the a

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