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Maliseet Ambassador Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald, Penobscot Nation Elder Donna Loring, Rena Newell, citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik, Mi’kmaq Nation Vice Chief Richard Silliboy and Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Aaron Dana are members of the Wabanaki Alliance board. They wrote this as part of Wabanaki Voices, an effort with the Wabanaki Alliance to share tribal perspectives in the Bangor Daily News opinion section.
The Wabanaki Alliance is dedicated to advocating for policies that support our tribal nations and the broader community in Maine. Through our ongoing engagement with the Bangor Daily News, we ensure Wabanaki voices are heard on critical legislative matters. As the 132nd Maine State Legislature convenes, we highlight key priorities that, if enacted, could strengthen both tribal sovereignty and the well being of all people in our homelands.
Restoring Tribal sovereignty
One of our primary efforts is advancing recommendations from the 129th Legislature’s Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act. This bipartisan task force developed proposals to amend the 1980 Settlement and Implementing Acts, which classify Wabanaki Nations as municipalities rather than sovereign governments. This misclassification restricts our jurisdictional authority, land rights, and ability to self-govern. To address these long-standing issues, we have resubmitted a bill similar to LD 1626, which previously fell short but remains vital to restoring tribal sovereignty.
Access to federal laws
A major challenge Wabanaki Nations face is restricted access to federal laws intended to support tribal communities. A provision in the 1980 Act allows the state to block our ability to benefit from more than 150 federal statutes that apply to other federally recognized tribes across the country. While we successfully restored our access to the Violence Against Women Act after seven years of advocacy, this piecemeal approach is unsustainable. This session, we are reintroducing a bill similar to LD 2004, which seeks a comprehensive solution. Additionally, we support a federal measure that previously passed the U.S. House but stalled in the U.S. Senate.
Protecting Tribal lands from eminent domain
Wabanaki Nations are particularly vulnerable to state land seizures under the current law. A historical example occurred in Sipayik, where Route 190 was constructed to connect Route 1 to Eastport, cutting through tribal land. To prevent similar situations in the future, House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham has introduced a bill to protect tribal lands from eminent domain. This measure would help ensure that Wabanaki lands remain in Wabanaki hands.
Additional legislative priorities
Beyond sovereignty and land protection, the Wabanaki Alliance is tracking several other important bills this session, including: Strengthening the 2001 Wabanaki Studies law to enhance education about our history and culture; granting free access for Indigenous people to Maine state parks, recognizing our deep connection to these lands; establishing tax parity for the Mi’kmaq Nation to address long-standing inequities; and supporting legislation introduced by Passamaquoddy Rep. Aaron Dana to improve public safety, tribal utility districts, and fishing license regulations.
Call to action
The Wabanaki Alliance deeply appreciates the support of our allies, neighbors, and friends. We encourage all Maine residents to engage in the legislative process by following our updates on social media and our website. Public participation in hearings, contacting legislators, and spreading awareness are all critical to ensuring these bills move forward. When the Wabanaki thrive, all of Maine thrives.
For more information, visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.