<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><a href="https://www.usetinc.org/news/epa-says-it-wont-change-challenged-tribal-water-rules-12122017/" class="OWAAutoLink" id="LPlnk166922" style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">https://www.usetinc.org/news/epa-says-it-wont-change-challenged-tribal-water-rules-12122017/</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""></span><div style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div id="x_divtagdefaultwrapper" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div id="x_x_divtagdefaultwrapper" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><div class="x_x_x_gmail_extra"><div class="x_x_x_gmail_quote"><blockquote class="x_x_x_gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;" class=""><header class="entry-header" style="margin-bottom: 2.4rem;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; font-family: Oswald, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2.2rem; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; line-height: 1.3;">EPA Says It Won’t Change Challenged Tribal Water Rules 12/12/2017</h1></header><div class="entry-content" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">EPA Says It Won’t Change Challenged Tribal Water Rules</strong></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="font-style: inherit;" class="">By </span><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Adam Lidgett</strong></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Law360, New York (December 11, 2017, 4:49 PM EST) — The </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/agencies/u-s-environmental-protection-agency&c=E,1,hW5IT4n0rTg-sIVwH_SetS7deK67qfWJVjSmYAa6KKddXQ3PWDRQZhelyjrZDXRMfo8UiNMMqzeSvqOz9FMh1ojEpNIQW2GeW7IubygmSGAT&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">said on Friday that it wouldn’t change course on any decisions challenged in a suit from the state of Maine over the agency’s tightening of water quality standards for tribal waters.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">In a brief status report, the EPA said that it wouldn’t withdraw or change any of the decisions challenged in the suit after the agency had asked the court in August for a stay in the case. That additional 120-day stay was granted in August after U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy had </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/articles/923439&c=E,1,K6rJaaTi6DeeGa5fRZnfCg1UXfZplUWzo0LYIQsh-c9RXwWz8jEbOUyfItK3q9idMwvpQXF7W-M7WDbdeMxcM-r8ASLPmkdUZIOR5oLJt79i&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">granted an earlier stay bid</span></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> in May to give the agency the time it requested to review the policy.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The May decision followed arguments from the EPA and two tribes in Maine. The tribes had urged the court to reject the stay on the grounds that any further delay in the case would threaten both the </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/agencies/houlton-band-of-maliseet-indians&c=E,1,wBtWymZHl0cWyfknSiU99NJD0pTtSphWIiZdt2IPmncHOaTbKhatdZyWZZaNY1BT5PM2RcOmR81LkF3bX23_R_VBXgGGlAubNnr2JrDyTUJWIvNXBGw6XXJ_9g,,&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Houlton Band</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> of Maliseet Indians and the Penobscot Nation.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection had sought to impose water quality standards that are lower than what the EPA, under the former Obama administration, had said would protect the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians’ sustenance fishing practices, and petitioned the new administration to reconsider a rule tightening standards.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Maine’s suit, first filed in 2014, sought a declaration that its environmental jurisdiction applies uniformly throughout the state, including in Native American territories, based on settlement acts from the 1980s that established a unique tribal-state relationship.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians last year asked to intervene to oppose the state’s suit challenging the stricter water quality standards for tribal waters, saying that the more restrictive rules ensure the tribe can continue its fishing traditions.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">“It’s obviously terrific the EPA has seen fit to hold to its water quality standards that are protective of reasonable tribal sustenance fishing rights,” Kaighn Smith Jr., an attorney for the Penobscot Nation, told Law360 on Monday. “The EPA’s original decision took into account a reasonable rate of consumption that would account for a cancer risk for tribal members. Maine has failed to do that.”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The federal government declined to comment.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians tribal chief Clarissa Sabattis commented only that she was pleased with the outcome and supportive of the EPA’s decision.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Representatives for the state did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The state of Maine is represented by its Attorney General Janet T. Mills, as well as Scott W. Boak, Gerald D. Reid and Christopher C. Taub of the state attorney general’s office.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The EPA is represented by Jeffrey H. Wood, David A. Carson, Richard W. Murphy and John G. Osborn of the </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/agencies/u-s-department-of-justice&c=E,1,Yv7VXL017-_3k_b6Q-RUXxFNCyRVQ97U0VL0pQMTScJTe7sdbDGJAE2TIfRgwRSoWgJZqLL2ThtdhePSADLda6Ms9Gm678AKGFgar-fsJOONbNmTollHrGeb&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">U.S. Department of Justice</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is represented by Graydon G. Stevens of </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/firms/kelly-remmel&c=E,1,nhtp8qN1HG7xZm0xdlrP00f7KGk0XOnpqPN5da4gZFmuQRy560yq5i4j2kBiqEqPoWizLjydyoQTKFQzbaM1EW90QJ1Qn3vYzpUk_gjpTncdTlwopwMRIw,,&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Kelly Remmel & Zimmerman</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">, and Cory J. Albright, Jane G. Steadman and Riyaz A. Kanji of </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/firms/kanji-katzen&c=E,1,Hv6vXobYmOJ9osLwMfThwKK54BLdWRc9kF1B1fbxC_4_TshOwohjQ0gZHtuOVMvNCubAQX8K2MZ0yMGMiUet6r0e5LuBGy11VLxEC9ln&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Kanji & Katzen PLLC</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The Penobscot Nation is represented by David M. Kallin and Kaighn Smith Jr. of </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/firms/drummond-woodsum&c=E,1,n81gSwDnCowH1cL-4nBDSt9xhYPeqsPcCd_2Lto3RfGJq-GS71Ql9SSDytVQA1AZbKjxn6o9bACfcOrJkrybWuivViHoK1sPMGGc8Xo,&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Drummond Woodsum</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 2.4rem; border: 0px; font-family: "PT Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.6; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The case is Maine et al. v. Pruitt et al., case number </span><a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https://www.law360.com/cases/53bae6dd26cdbf6226000001&c=E,1,vCERGDkWtKIn-FQw-2V4z6v13hXPPc5D30cE5LHB1t0gGDrPb2o-GNrMJWXKiOKv2sDJvlckHqqzEqrc2fA-bWEfF74Dzfq-t1sPFCbZYD6WCoGWe73Y&typo=1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">1:14-cv-00264</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine.</span></p></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Karen Marysdaughter, Co-Coordinator<br class="">P&J Center of Eastern Maine</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">96 Harlow St, Suite 100, <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" class="">Bangor, ME 04401</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">207/942-9343<br class=""><a href="mailto:info@peacectr.org" class="">info@peacectr.org</a></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><a href="http://www.peacectr.org" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" class="">www.peacectr.org</a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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