To: Pleasant Point Tribal Members
From: Rep. Moore

Re: LNG debate

Dear Tribal Members,

During the past week we have seen many attempts at spreading fear among tribal members concerning the safety and other issues relating to LNG. I would like to offer the first part of my response to those asserting that this project will in some manner bring harm to the tribe, or to the environment. Furthermore, the issue should be discussed at length in council meetings where all pertinent information can be provided to all tribal members.

My term in office represents an ongoing effort to improve the quality of life of all tribal members. While at the same time addressing the horrific social and economic conditions, we are now living in.

Prior to the last general election nearly every house on both reservations was visited.

Tribal members made it very clear, “We need something for the future.”

The tribe attempted to bring a casino to the State of Maine. It was rejected. And we are no better off today. In many ways the opponents of this project are playing into the hands of those who would want to keep us on welfare.

Right after the casino defeat it was made clear to me by those representing the future of our tribe. “We need an alternative plan, for our future.” One which will offer a chance to improve the conditions we are living under.

These conditions include but are not limited to a great number of tribal members forced to scrape a living off the beaches around the reservation. Or seek employment outside of the community they grew up in. Passamaquoddy Indian women, (mothers) forced to apply for general assistance due to a lack of employment opportunity, fathers traveling to a food pantry in order to feed their family. Is this the legacy we are leaving?

We hear about 50 percent unemployment rate on the reservation, when we apply for grants, and other forms of economic development assistance. We need to do more than apply for grants for economic development. We need to develop an economy, one which will sustain quality living conditions for all tribal members, and offer hope to future generations.

We cannot accomplish this by spreading erroneous information, and fear. In an effort gain support for our own causes. We need to unify in one common cause. That is the preservation of the Passamaquoddy Tribal Nation through the strengthening of our cultural institutions, language and tribal economy.

I must take exception to assertions that this project will in any manner bring harm to tribal members, degrade the cultural integrity of the tribe, or jeopardize the long term best interests of future generations. Our situation as a community is desperate. The survival of our culture and language is threatened now. The long term best interests of future generations are at risk. Due in large part to the social and economic conditions we are now living in. There is nothing in the bank to leave for our children and grand children, only debt, which our resources cannot service.

There is no question that the monetary resources of the tribe are quickly and certainly diminishing. Within two to three years the dragon note will be completely exhausted. This will leave us with no means to sustain the level of services we are now providing. These services are vital to maintaining safe and sanitary living conditions for our community. While they provide the necessities of everyday living, they are still inadequate, for they do not provide the most essential service of all, and that is opportunity, and hope.

What is left of the dragon note is devoted to such services as municipal water, and sewerage treatment, streetlights, and trash collection. Other bills are paid by the dragon note as well. Such as property taxes for the lands we own outside the reservation and territory. When a property owner fails to pay these taxes they lose the land. This scares anyone who cares.

With the loss of revenues needed to maintain current levels of service, we will be facing total economic collapse; in fact we are in a critical economic situation without any prospect for recovery or replacement of revenues. We will face for the first time, municipal style taxation, like any other town. This will degrade the cultural integrity of the Passamaquoddy tribe!

The cost of delivery of these services will fall directly upon the head of house hold in each of the approximately two hundred fifty homes on the reservation. The cost of these services will not come from the federal, state or tribal governments. They will be paid by tribal house holds, or they will be discontinued. This is not a scare tactic, it is a glimpse of what we are facing.

Here is the reality of our situation; the dragon note represents approximately $ 1.2 million in revenues to each

reservation. There are about 250 households on the reservation. Each head of house hold is the equivalent of a property owner in any town.

The property owner is responsible for the payment of municipal taxes.

With no other sources of revenue to provide for the continuation of these municipal services, the tribe will be unable pay without recovering the cost. That cost will fall to each head of house hold on the reservation. It will translate to approximately $4,800 per year for each head of house hold, or $400 per month.

This not about LNG as much as it is about the future of the tribe. The debate is not about the doom and gloom. Some would have us believe. It’s about the sense of doom and gloom we are living with today. The real injustice is, a Passamaquoddy Indian woman, a (mother) on welfare. Along with an entire generation walking around with nothing to do, waiting for the tide to go down, so they can scrape up a few dollars or hoping for a good crop of berries so they can join the migrant workers.

Tribal members have every right to participate in the decisions concerning their future. All concerns and questions relating to safety should and will be answered. LNG as an industry is relatively new to the United States, with the most technically advanced safety, and delivery methods in the world. Other peoples and countries are nearly totally dependant on LNG. Their culture is not at risk, nor is their language or economy. The exact opposite occurs when the pressures of economic survival are removed.

The future of the tribe should be a topic of discussion every day during the term of office of every elected official. This discussion should translate to action on the part of the tribe. Any decisions made must be done so with the advice and consent of tribal members. Balancing the quality of life, health, safety, and economic well being of tribal members, with the best interests of future generations in mind is at the heart of every decision.

There is plenty to be concerned about right now. Perhaps those most vocal and concerned for the safety, and quality of life for tribal members might offer an alternative plan of their own. One which will bring about a means of preventing the total collapse of what is left of our tribal economy while building something for our people to step through into the future.