NEWS CENTER MAINE • May 4, 2025
On the banks of the Penobscot River in Old Town, drums and chants echoed to pay respect and honor the important role the river plays in life and culture of the Penobscot Nation. The crowd, some 50 strong, were also gathered to protest plans to expand the nearby Juniper Ridge Landfill. Last year, the State of Maine approved plans to add nearly 12 million square yards of capacity to what is already Maine’s largest landfill. Due to appeals by members of the Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation, those plans are on pause. However, many still worry that Juniper Ridge will continue to grow. Of the half-dozen who spoke on Sunday was Kathy Paul, a Penobscot Nation elder and activist. Paul says she has seen the pollution taint the land and water that is sacred to her people. “I just can't sit still and let them ruin, ruin our land,” Paul said, noting her fears of what could come if the expansion occurs.