Ralph Dana
Multimedia Specialist
Sipayik Environmental Department
Direct Office Line: (207) 853-5155  
Fax: 207-853-2481
Ralphdana@wabanaki.com

The General Assistance Program (GAP) provides funding to Tribal Environmental capacity. The Multimedia Specialist is a 1.0 FTE position funded by GAP. USEPA provides the tribe GAP funding to strengthen tribal involvement in environmental protection and management. Pleasant Point is identifying and responding to environmental threats and building tribal capacity to address the current and future needs and interests of the tribe and to help protect human health and the environment.

The department provides assistance to tribal planners to help secure other funding for building tribal capacity, scientific research, environmental assessment, ecosystem restoration and management of environmental and natural resources.

Considerable focus is to promote environmental stewardship and ecosystem recovery and restoration within the tribal homeland.  These activities are carried out in the context of Passamaquoddy cultural values, tribal access to resources for sustenance, food sovereignty, education, appropriate technology with the goal of creating economic stability, cultural connections to the environment and healthy life.

Provide protection of the ecosystems through cooperative efforts with the federal government partners, NGO’s and others.  Raising awareness for much needed restoration of the St Croix River watershed and aquatic species such as alewife and other traditional sea-run food fish and the free movement of fish.

Building community capacity and public awareness through various media such as the tribal website and other platforms.

GIS and mapping services also used in the department for planning and communication and guiding tribal decision making.

Joint Tribal Council Decision:
“The Tribal Chiefs are authorized to take appropriate action to open the fishway at Grand Falls for the free passage of sea-run alewife and to restore the indigenous fishery within the St. Croix River Watershed”
and
“The Tribal Chiefs are authorized to take appropriate action to open the fishway at Grand Falls for the free passage of sea-run alewife and to restore the indigenous fishery within the St. Croix River Watershed”

8-27-13 Sipayik Government Resolution:
“The Passamaquoddy have a unique cultural and historical relationship with the ecosystem and the fishery within the river, and must now take an active role in the study of, management of, and recovery of the sea-run fish in the St. Croix River watershed, related estuary and Passamaquoddy Bay Ecosystem”

Partnership for St Croix Restoration
Other Important Restoration Information