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A bill sponsored by Maine Democrat Ben Collings of Portland would expand the authority from three members to four by adding a tribal member chosen by the tribes. The authority is against the bill but is open to other suggestions on how to include Wabanaki voices in the park's management.
Maine tribal members couldn't vote when the Baxter State Park Authority was created in 1931. Now lawmakers are considering whether a tribal member should have a say in how the park is run.
The tribes of Maine want a formal role in managing this sacred site, but strict rules on how the donated land must be governed don't allow for the expansion of the authority board.
New England needs clean energy but the NECEC hydro line from Québec is opposed by First Nations, environmentalists and fossil fuel companies