OLD TOWN, Maine (AP) - Members of the Penobscot Nation say a landfill is dumping waste into the Penobscot River.
The Juniper Ridge landfill is responsible for 1.3 million gallons of leachate that goes into the river each month, according to Sunlight Media Collective, which helped publicize a recent event.
The river has provided fish and sanctuary for the Penobscot Nation who feel like that has been taken from them, WABI-TV reported.
Penobscot Elder Kathy Paul organized the protest last week. The tribe contends much of the waste at the landfill comes from out of state. “I just wish they would stop,” she said.
The Maine Board of Environmental Protection is currently considering changes to Maine’s waste policy that would control the disposal of out-of-state waste.
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This story was first published on Oct. 4, 2020. It was updated on Oct. 8, 2020, to correct Sunlight Media Collective’s relationship to the Penobscot Nation. The collective helped to publicize the event but does not represent the tribe.
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