Robin Bouschor, the environmental program manager for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ Gidayaangwaami’idimin Ezhi-inawendiyang (the Natural Resources Division) was recently honored with the United States Coast Guard Public Service Commendation.
According to the tribe’s announcement, the award was given in recognition of Bouschor’s service during the June 2025 emergency response to the grounding of the M/V Honorable James L. Oberstar in the St. Marys River. During that incident, catastrophic damage to the freighter’s hull, including the rupture of its fuel and ballast tanks, led to the serious risk of more than 30,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil leaking into the waterway. Bouschor worked alongside federal, state, tribal and Canadian partners as part of the Coast Guard Unified Command.
“What stands out most to me wasn’t any one action, but rather the collaboration between everyone involved. It was impressive to see so many organizations come together to protect the Great Lakes and prevent what could have become a much larger environmental incident,” said Bouschor in the announcement. “The experience also reinforced the importance of Tribal participation during emergency response efforts. Sometimes our role is not necessarily to lead operations, but to ensure Tribal voices, knowledge, concerns and stewardship responsibilities are represented in the decision-making process.”
The Oberstar was eventually stabilized and able to safely travel to Duluth, Minnesota for repairs.
“Robin’s commitment to protecting our lands, air and waters stands as a testament to the vital role the Sault Tribe plays in the environmental well-being of the region,” said Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes in the announcement. “Her swift action and expertise helped protect waters and lands that are sacred to our people, and we cannot thank her enough for her leadership to help avoid what could have been one of the most significant environmental disasters in generations.”
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Bouschor earns Coast Guard commendation for service during Oberstar grounding
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, Sault Ste. Marie News / The Sault News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jillian Fellows, Sault Ste. Marie News | USA TODAY Network
