Passamaquoddy Tribe confronts sea level rise and erosion in Sipayik

On the Sipayik peninsula in Maine, Passamaquoddy tribal members face rising seas, eroding marshes and the risk of flooding that threatens homes and infrastructure, according to Inside Climate News. The tribe created the Sipayik Resilience Committee in 2022 and filed a climate action plan with the Environmental Protection Agency in 2024.

Aquatic restoration coordinator and former chief Ralph Dana said he has watched the community’s coastline recede and fish stocks decline. “We’ve got nowhere to go. Our infrastructure is in danger,” Dana told Inside Climate News. The tribe is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and nonprofit partners on adaptation projects. Robert Wood, who oversees the tribe’s planning grant, said the goal is to build a “resilience basket” to strengthen food security, housing and cultural connections so the community can respond quickly to climate threats.