Honor and protect First Nations historical sites

The story, “Contentious gas pipeline shelved,” Sept. 12, reported National Grid’s decision not to proceed at this time with the E37 route through Papscanee Island although it has not withdrawn the plan and may reconsider it later. The article did not address an important aspect of the E37 pipeline route: The island’s significance to the Stockbridge-munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians.

The Tribal Council, in an Aug. 18 resolution, states: Papscanee Island “holds immense cultural significance to our people as a center of life repeatedly from at least 2,500 B.C. through the 17th century ” and “is nominated as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places as a historically and archaeologically significant district and is viewed by the tribe as a traditional cultural landscape due to the range of pottery, tools, habitations, evidence of food gathering, growing and cooking, as well as ceremonial and burial sensitivity it possesses.” The full resolution is at Papscanee.org.

Meanwhile, the last remaining forest in North Troy is the 12-acre site of a proposed development in an area of cultural, archaeological and historical significance to the Mohican and other First Nations people, going back to at least 3,000 B.C. The Troy City Council has referred to the planning board to study this proposed project at 1101 Second Ave.

I invite us to respect and learn from the First Peoples of this land, who lived in harmony with nature, and work with their descendants to honor and protect these lands.

Sheree Cammer

Wynantskill