UPDATE

Tribes suffer final setback

By Sam Pfeifle

The United States Supreme Court, with no comment offered to the public, declined to “review the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s Decision that the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribes are subject to the Maine Freedom of Access Act,” Drummond & Woodsum lawyer Kaighn Smith announced in a press release Tuesday. (See, “Sovereignty in Jeopardy,” Nov. 9 - 15, Portland Phoenix.)

This means that the tribes will be forced to abide by Superior Court Judge Robert Crowley’s decision that they must turn over certain tribal records having to do with water quality to Great Northern Paper, Inc. and Georgia-Pacific Corporation. It’s unclear, however, whether they will hand over the documents or not.

“Perhaps our next stop will be the legislature,” Penobscot Governor Barry Dana announced in the press release. That sounds like the battle may not be over yet, and those paper companies may have to wait a little longer.