BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Penobscot Nation citizens rallied across the Penobscot County court earlier this afternoon in opposition to a proposed expansion to Maine’s largest landfill.
The rally was in response to the Conservation Law Foundation and the Penobscot Nation appealing an expansion to Juniper Ridge Landfill, which will allow Casella Waste Systems to expand Juniper Ridge by 11.9 million cubic yards.
According to members of the Wabanaki Alliance, the expansion would pose a threat to surrounding tribal lands due to concerns of air and water pollution surrounding the Penobscot River from the landfill.
Speakers at the rally represented citizens of the Penobscot Nation, the Wabanaki Alliance, as well as environmental groups Slingshot and Don’t Waste ME.
“It is incredibly powerful to see the number of people out here in opposition to this expansion and support of this appeal,” says Dana Colihan, Co-Executive Director of Slingshot, “We know the time for environmental justice is now. We need to turn the tide towards zero waste.
I just hope that the state can get serious about actual environmental justice, and Casella can implement some practices that it makes it so that they don’t have to bring out of state waste to stabilize our sludge and really find solutions instead of creating more problems with us," says Maulian Bryant, Executive Director of the Wabanaki Alliance.
After the rally, oral arguments took place at Penobscot County Superior Court starting at 1pm.
Vice President of Communication for Casella Jeff Weld stated that failure to expand Juniper Ridge Landfill would create significant disposal capacity issues for residents of Eastern Maine.
