April 21, 2022

Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has signed the amended version of LD 906, An Act to Provide Passamaquoddy Tribal Members Access to Clean Drinking Water.

“Members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik, like all people in Maine, deserve access to clean, safe drinking water. This legislation will build on our efforts to ensure that they get it,” said Governor Mills. “I thank the Passamaquoddy people for their collaboration on this law, which demonstrates that we can make progress for all when we work together.”

As amended, LD 906 enables the Passamaquoddy Tribe to seek alternative sources of groundwater on Passamaquoddy Indian territory without State approval. The legislation builds on work done by the Mills Administration, the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the local water district, and the Federal government since 2019 that will result in the installation of a water treatment system this summer that is expected to significantly improve water quality for Pleasant Point and in the Town of Eastport.

Since taking office, the Mills Administration has worked closely with Wabanaki people and the State Legislature to:

• negotiate and sign into law legislation amending the Settlement Act to expand the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy’s authority to prosecute domestic violence against non-Tribal members in Tribal courts;
• write and sign into law legislation that implements the nation’s strictest water quality standards to protect sustenance fishing in culturally-important Tribal waters; and, among other several other measures;
• write and sign into law legislation that transfers ownership of culturally significant land in Meddybemps from State ownership to the Passamaquoddy.

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Originally Appeared Here