Barry Dana, former chief of the Penobscot Nation of Maine, discussed his tribe's long-running environmental struggle at Tufts University in Massachusetts on Monday night.

Dana said the state and the federal government have ignored their responsibility to protect the Penobscot River. So the tribe sought permission to regulate water quality within the reservation but was later denied by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The fight led the state courts to impose state law on the activities of tribal governments. Dana and other leaders of the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe were forced to turn over internal documents to a paper company after being held in contempt of court.

Despite the setbacks, Dana said the battle is not over. He still wants the federal government to take a more active role.

Get the Story:
Dana speaks on social and environmental justice (The Tufts Daily 3/15)

Relevant Links:
Penobscot Nation - http://www.penobscotnation.org

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