Opinion

Opinion: Mending tribal-state relations in Maine

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

"The Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission, or MITSC, is a creation of the Maine Implementing Act, Maine’s ratification of the land claims settlement between the Houlton Band of Maliseets, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Penobscot Nation, Maine, and the U.S. government. It exists to "continually review the effectiveness of the Act and the social, economic and legal relationship between the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Penobscot Nation and the State."

When President Carter signed the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act into law on October 10, 1980, all the parties expected a new era of tribal-state relations would result stressing increasing understanding and mutual benefit. Unfortunately, the tremendous good will developed after years of difficult negotiations steadily eroded reaching a low point earlier this decade.

Maine’s recent effort to seek sole authority for issuing wastewater discharge licenses under the Clean Water Act pushed tribal-state relations to a near breaking point. During the process, three paper corporations that no longer do business in Maine filed Freedom of Access Act requests seeking documents from the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation that the tribes considered protected under the internal tribal matters language of the Maine Implementing Act.

Tribal-state relations further deteriorated during the 2002-2003 initiative campaign concerning the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot desire to construct and operate a casino in Sanford. At a MITSC meeting held two days after the November 2003 casino vote, the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot MITSC representatives walked out, effectively shutting MITSC down for 15 months. In the eyes of tribal leaders, MITSC lacked political relevance and effectiveness."

Get the Story:
John Dieffenbacher-Krall: Bill will facilitate, strengthen tribal-state relations (The Bangor Daily News 5/8)