Hi Friend of Maine's environment,

Next week, the Maine Legislature will hold a hearing on LD 1626, a bill to restore the rights of the Wabanaki people to self-govern and to self-determination.

The Wabanaki have stewarded the lands and waters of the area we now call Maine for millennia. Recognizing their inherent rights and securing the tribes’ future is the right thing to do and long overdue.

The Wabanaki Alliance has a goal of 500 people submitting testimony in support of LD 1626. Will you join us and submit testimony?

• To testify or submit testimony, visit NRCM’s Take Action Toolkit for instructions that include a short video to walk you through the testifying process, as well as tips for writing effective testimony.
• For talking points, an FAQ, and more, visit the Wabanaki Alliance’s Take Action page.

Passing LD 1626 would restore the tribes’ rights and give them the same ability to govern their land as all other 570 federally recognized tribes. It would also bring about fairness and equity because Wabanaki tribes have been unable to benefit from the more than 150 federal laws that have passed since 1980 to improve their wellbeing. The Wabanaki should have the right to determine the future of their communities and to conserve the land and wildlife that is their heritage.

If you have any questions about the testifying process or LD 1626, please contact me at melanie@nrcm.org.

Sincerely,

Melanie Sturm
NRCM Forests & Wildlife Director