RadioActive 2/20/24: Sears Island Targeted – Mining – Juniper Ridge Landfill – Gaza

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
A project of WERU and Sunlight Media Collective. Learn more at sunlightmediacollective.org.

The Maine Land Use Planning Commission rejects Wolfden Mining’s application to rezone over 300 acres to allow for metallic mining in the Katahdin region, at the head water tributaries of the Penobscot River.

Local residents and the Penobscot Nation speak out at a public hearing on Casella Waste Systems request for a contract extension to operate the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, while they seek a seventy acre, 40% expansion.

Governor Mills has targeted undeveloped Sears Island as the State’s” preferred site” to build an offshore wind port staging facility, instead of Mack Point in Searsport. This development would clear acres of forested land, destroy eelgrass meadows, essential fish habitat, a fisheries nursery area, and shellfish beds, and disrupt migratory bird patterns. A network of groups who have fought off industrial development plans on Sears Island for years, will continue to fight. A demonstration will be held Wed. Feb 21 3-6 pm on the Belfast Bridge.

And some of the voices of Maine residents demonstrating at Rep Golden’s Office this month calling for a cease fire in Gaza, where now over 29, 000 Palestinian people have been killed by Israel bombing.

Guests:
LUPC Commissioners Leo Trudel, Gwen Hilton, Perry Ellsworth and Millard Billings
Maulian Bryant, Penobscot Nation Ambassador
Ed Spencer (Don’t Waste ME); Dana Colihan (Slingshot); Luke Sekera Flanders (Community Water Justice, Maine Youth Climate Justice)
Becky Bartovics, Alliance for Sears Island, Sierra Club Maine Chapter
Demonstrators at Feb 3 rally in Bangor calling for Ceasefire in Gaza

FMI:

allianceforsearsisland.org
www.facebook.com/dontwastemaine/
sunlightmediacollective.org

RadioActive 1/23/24: Juniper Ridge Landfill Contract Extension Sought

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Co-producer: Dawn Neptune Adams
A project of WERU and Sunlight Media Collective. Learn more at sunlightmediacollective.org.

Casella Waste Systems, the private operator of the state owned Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, is seeking an extension of their state contract, despite threats to the local environment and communities, including the Penobscot Nation.

The State of Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services Bureau of General Services will hold a public hearing regarding changes to its Operating Services Agreement (OSA) between the state and private company Casella Waste Systems, which operates the state owned Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town. A public hearing slated for January was postponed. The new date is Thursday, February 15th, from 6-8pm, in Brewer, at Jeff’s Catering. Written comments can be submitted to the Bureau of General Services by Monday, February 26th, at 5pm.

In its public notice, the Bureau states that it expects to extend the Operating Services Agreement (OSA) an additional six years from February 5th, 2034, to February 5th, 2040, because of Casella’s proposed expansion of Juniper Ridge Landfill.

Over the past two decades, area residents, including the Penobscot Nation, have continued to shine a light on harmful environmental impacts from the landfill and questioned the for-profit model that has increased the importation of out-of-state waste, straining landfill capacity, while minimizing recycling efforts. Leachate from the landfill is currently processed at the paper mill in Old Town, then dumped into the Penobscot River directly below the Penobscot Nation, who have expressed concern for fish and human health impacts from effluent chemicals, including PFAS. This past May, the landfill itself caught on fire and burned for a number of hours, sending plumes of smoke into the air.

Local residents and others oppose the proposed expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill, the reason given for the state’s consideration of extending ‘s Juniper Ridge contract. They call for an evaluation of Casella’s performance before there is an extension of their contract, that an extension not be granted until an expansion license could be granted, and that an expansion application should consider disposal capacity for in-state waste and include the observation of Environmental Justice, which is now required in statute in the public benefit determination.

A landmark measure was passed by the legislature in 2022 restricting the importation of out of state waste, but was postponed for two years this past May, after Casella Waste Systems claimed the restrictions on out of state waste affected their ability to stabilize the landfills liquid sludge.

Written Public Comments can be submitted by Monday, February 26th at 5pm.

Submission by email, send to: [email protected]

Submission by mail, send to:
Lane Gould, Landfill Manager
Bureau of General Services
111 Sewall St.  Cross Office Building 4th floor
77 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0077

Guests:
Maria Girouard, is from Penobscot Nation. She’s a Penobscot Nation Tribal Council member (though is not formerly representing the Nation today) She’s a grassroots environmental organizer with Dawn Land Environmental Defense and founder of Sunlight Media Collective. She’s writer and director of the documentary, “The Penobscot : Ancestral River Contested Territory.”

Ed Spencer is with the local grassroots watchdog network Don’t Waste Me, which has been involved for the past two decades in opposing Juniper Ridge landfill’s pollution, importation of out-of-state waste and business practices through grassroots organizing legislation and engaging as legal intervenor in a number of proceedings. Ed lives in close proximity to the Juniper Ridge Landfill.

Nickie Sekera, founder and organizer of Community Water Justice and a contributing member of Sunlight Media Collective. She also has recently been appointed to the Commission To Study the Role of Water as a Resource in the State of Maine. She grew up in Eddington.

RadioActive 3/10/22: LD 1626 “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act”

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

This week the Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee continued to consider legislation that would address some of the longstanding detrimental impacts of the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act on the Wabanaki Tribes, and recognize their status as equal to the other 570 federally recognized Tribes.

On February 15th, a record-breaking number of testimonies were heard at a public hearing for over eight hours in support of LD 1626, “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act”.

The bill includes 22 recommendations developed by a Task Force convened in 2019, made up of bipartisan legislative representatives, the Tribal Chiefs of the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy at Sipayik and Motahkomikuk, the Houlton Band of the Maliseets, and the Mi’kmaq Nation, and ex offcio representation from the State Attorney General’s, Governor’s Offices and the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission(MITSC). The recommendations include changes to policy regarding trust land acquisition, use of land and natural resources, hunting and fishing, taxation, criminal jurisdiction, civil jurisdiction, and the applicability of federal laws to the Tribes within Maine. Currently, the Wabanaki Tribes are exempt from federal laws passed effecting other federally recognized Tribes, unless the law explicitly includes them, an action the State of Maine has often subverted. Recent examples include the Violence Against Women Act, the Indian Health Improvement Act, the Stafford Act, regarding federal disaster funds.

A third work session on LD 1626 “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act”will be held Tuesday, March 15th at 1pm, when a Committee vote is expected.

Guests:

Vice Chief Darrell Newell, Passamaquoddy at Motahkomikuk
Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross
Chief Kirk Francis, Penobscot Nation
Chief Clarissa Sabattis, Houlton Band of Maliseets
Lee Francis, Penobscot Nation Tribal Council
Chief Maggie Dana, Passamaquoddy at Sipayik

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective, including Mali Obamsawin, Lokotah Sanborn, Dawn Neptune Adams, Maria Giroaurd, Andrea DeFrancesco, Nickie Sekera and Meredith DeFrancesco.

Sunlight Media Collective, documents and presents issues affecting Indigenous people from Wabanaki perspectives, highlighting the intersection between environmental justice and Tribal sovereignty.

RadioActive 2/10/22: Tribal Leaders Speak to Need to Make Changes to the Settlement Implementing Act

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

This session Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee continues to consider legislation that would address some of the longstanding detrimental impacts of the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act on the Wabanaki Tribes, and recognize their status as equal to the other 570 federally recognized Tribes.

The bill includes 22 recommendations developed by a Task Force convened in 2019, made up of bipartisan legislative representatives, the Tribal Chiefs of the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy at Sipayik and Motahkomikuk, the Houlton Band of the Maliseets, and the Mi’kmaq Nation, and ex offcio representation from the State Attorney General’s, Governor’s Offices and the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission(MITSC). The recommendations include changes to policy regarding trust land acquisition, use of land and natural resources, hunting and fishing, taxation, criminal jurisdiction, civil jurisdiction, and the applicability of federal laws to the Tribes within Maine. Currently, the Wabanaki Tribes are exempt from federal laws passed effecting other federally recognized Tribes, unless the law explicitly includes them, an action the State of Maine has often subverted. Recent examples include the Violence Against Women Act, the Indian Health Improvement Act, the Stafford Act, regarding federal disaster funds.

Today we hear from a presentation last spring given by Penobscot Ambassador Maulian Dana and Passamaquoddy Tribal member and attorney Corey Hinton, hosted by the Maine Conservation Voters.

And then we hear an interview also from the spring, with Passamaquoddy Chief Maggie Dana of Sipayik and Passamaquoddy Representative to the Maine legislature, Rena Newell following the decision to postpone the consideration of LD 1626 to this legislative session.

Guests:

Maulian Dana, Penobscot Nation Ambassador
Corey Hinton, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Attorney
Rena Newell, Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative to Maine Legislature
Chief Maggie Dana, Passamaquoddy at Sipayik

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective, including Mali Obamsawin, Lokotah Sanborn, Dawn Neptune Adams, Maria Giroaurd, Andrea DeFrancesco, Nickie Sekera and Meredith DeFrancesco.

Sunlight Media Collective, documents and presents issues affecting Indigenous people from Wabanaki perspectives, highlighting the intersection between environmental justice and Tribal sovereignty.

RadioActive 7/29/21: Penobscot River Case Decision, Efforts to Reform Settlement Act, Opposition to Mining & NECEC, Rally for Wabanaki Sovereignty

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Today we speak with Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis on the latest court decision against the Tribe in the historic Penobscot River Case, a modern day territorial taking by the State of Maine and a threat to the Tribe’s cultural existence in its sustenance fishing waters.

We also look at current legislative efforts to reform the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act to recognize Wabanaki Tribes sovereignty as equal to other Tribes within the United States,

And we look at Penobscot Nation’s opposition to mining in Maine, and the Central Maine Power corridor, the so-called New England Clean Energy Connect.

This Sunday, August 1st, Tribal leaders and activists will hold a Rally for the Penobscot River and Wabanaki Sovereignty from 230- 6pm at the Bangor Waterfront Park, on the Penobscot River.

Guest: Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective.
Sunlight Media Collective co-producers/host included Lokotah Sanborn, Dawn Neptune Adams and Meredith DeFrancesco.

Sunlight Media Collective, documents and presents issues affecting Indigenous people from Wabanaki perspectives, highlighting the intersection between environmental justice and Tribal sovereignty.

RadioActive 10/29/20: First Nations Impacted by Hydropower, Penobscot Nation & Herring Pond Wampanoag Speak Out Against CMP Corridor

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

First Nations Impacted by Hydropower, Penobscot Nation and Herring Pond Wampanoag Speak Out Against CMP Corridor

a) Less then three months before a referendum question would have been on the ballot aiming to reverse state agency approval of the so called New England Clean Energy Connect, or CMP Corridor, Central Maine Power’s parent company, Avangrid, succeeded in blocking it the courts. This election day, however, opponents are collecting signatures again on a re-worded citizen’s initiative aimed toward bringing it to voters the following election cycle.

While those who promote and profit from hydro power tout it as a clean energy, the facts bear out differently in terms of environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions and methyl mercury contamination, and on the health and rights of the Indigenous People whose communities are effected by dam construction and subsequent flooding. The proposed CMP corridor, a 145 mile transmission line slated to bring electricity from Hydro Quebec through Maine to Massachussetts, has received stiff opposition from local Maine communities and the Penobscot Nation.

b) On Wednesday, October 28th, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Sierra Club Maine and the Appalachian Mountain Club filed a lawsuit challenging the Army Corps of Engineers for an inadequate environmental assessment of the project and for refusing to require a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). A groundswell of the public in the state, as well as Congressman Jared Golden and the Penobscot Nation all requested an EIS be performed, but the Corp declined this past summer.

A document obtained by the groups in the suit, under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal that the Army Corps and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have identified major issues with the CMP corridor, including the company’s claims about the proposal’s impact on the climate.

c) Members of First Nations in Canada have been campaigning heavily these past months through in person tours and other means to express their opposition to transmission corridor projects in the Northeast United States that would increase the impacts of hydro power development on their communities.
Today we hear from an educational web event organized by Northeast Megadam Resistance Alliance and Sierra Club Maine and a press conference aiming to bring the voices of First Nations people to the Conference of Northeastern Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers last month.

Guests:
Meg Sheean from Northeast Megadam Reststamce Alliance
Amy Norman, Nunatsiavummiuk Inuit, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador Land Protector
Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis
Herring Pond Wampanoag Chairwoman Melissa Ferretti

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective.

Sunlight Media Collective, who documents and presents issues affecting Indigenous people from Wabanaki perspectives, highlighting the intersection between environmental justice and Tribal sovereignty.

RadioActive 10/15/20: Drinking Water Crisis at Sipayik

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

For the Passamaquoddy Nation at Sipayik, public drinking water quality has been an unaddressed problem for decades, causing Tribal members to buy water, fill jugs at a local source, or rely on donations. The Passamaquoddy Water District (PWD) named after, but not run by the Tribe, is a so called Quasi-Municipal District serving approximately 618 households at Sipayik, also known as Pleasant Point, and parts of Eastport. The source of the public water supply, which individual households are billed for, is the local Boyden Lake and its watershed. At issue is water odor, discoloration and a documented high level of trihalomethanes (THMs), a chemical created by the use of chlorine in disinfecting water during the treatment process. As Boyden Lake’s water levels have decreased, increased treatment has been required to offset higher levels of organic matter in the water source. Elevated levels of trihalomethanes have been associated with health issues, including cancer and reproductive problems. Beyond drinking water exposure, trihalomethanes can be absorbed through the skin and inhalation during everyday use of tap water.

After years of inaction by municipal or state entities, and previous efforts by the Tribe blocked, the Passamquoddy is bringing the issue front and center by organizing multi stakeholder meetings, with representatives of the water district, state and federal agencies and the Tribe. Meetings began in January, and some headway is being made to find short, medium and long term solutions for safe drinking water for Sipayik and neighboring Eastport.

The Passamaquoddy underline that their lack of ability to act independently to solve the crisis is compounded by restrictions from the controversial Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act. This includes, the required approval by local municipalities for projects on Tribal so-called “fee land”. Currently, the Maine Legislature is poised to consider long sought changes to the Settlement Act in the bill LD 2094: “An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act”, the result of a months long process with Tribal and state representatives, which passed out of the Judiciary Committee in August.

At the end of summer, Passamaquoddy Vice Chief Maggie Dana at Sipayik, Passamaquoddy Representative to the Maine legislature Rena Newell, and Passamaquoddy attorney and water advocate Corey Hinton sat down via Zoom with Sunlight Media Collective, WERU and The Maine Beacon to discuss the efforts to take action on the ongoing problem of safe drinking water.

Guests:
Passamaquoddy Vice Chief Maggie Dana at Sipayik
Passamaquoddy Representative to the Maine legislature Rena Newell
Passamaquoddy attorney and water advocate Corey Hinton

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective.

RadioActive 2/6/20: Youth Speak Out at Maine Climate Council Meeting

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Today we hear the voices of youth speaking out on January 29th, in Augusta at the State’s newly formed Maine Climate Council, and the Maine Youth for Climate Justice’s Youth Voices Day.

The youth representative on the state’s climate council, Ania Wight, gave the Climate Council a report back from the UN Climate talks in Madrid in December. Maine Youth for Climate Justice held a press conference to offer their perspectives and present their four demands on the work and goals of the Maine Climate Council. This includes demanding “that achieving zero-emissions by the year 2030 be the ultimate and official goal for the state and the Maine Climate Council”. Youth demands and petition

cSince October, South Portland, Portland, Bar Harbor and Brunswick have all declared a Climate Emergency. On January 21st, the Bar Harbor Town Council additionally passed a measure to create a Climate Emergency Task Force with mission of drawing down the town’s carbon emissions by 2030.

Guests:
Ania Wright- College of the Atlantic student, Youth Representative on the Maine Climate Council, founding member of Bar Harbor Climate Emergency Coalition, Earth in Brackets (COA), Maine Youth for Climate Justice

Emma Sawyer, University of Southern Maine student, Maine Youth for Climate Justice

Felipe Andres Fontecilla Gutierrez , College of the Atlantic student from Chile, Maine Youth for Climate Justice

Anna Siegel – 8th grade student at Friends School of Portland, ME Strikes, Maine Youth for Climate Justice

Sophie Dowling – Mount Desert Island High School, founding member of Bar Harbor Climate Emergency Coalition, Mount Desert Island High School ECO team, Maine Youth for Climate Justice

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective.