Dear Editor

National Grid Compact… feels more like a National travesty

Now that the elections are in full swing and enrolled candidates are stepping forward I think that this summer’s elections are pivotal for the survival of our collective sovereignty and the security of the next seven generations. I feel that we need to change the present Council’s ‘way of thinking’ and I think that the National Grid compact is the shinning example of the change that I envision.

On, March 23, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Massena, our anointed one trustee James Ransom held a summit with the ‘economic and political’ machinery of the North Country; his mission was to try to ease Massena’s financial worries. The economy must really be bad for these institutions to look to the Mohawk Nation for moral support, I am a firm believer in the concept of ‘getting along with our neighbors ‘ but, as the younger kids say ‘ we need to keep it ‘for real’. I have not forgotten that these are the very souls that are lobbying vigorously with State legislators and Federal legislators to force Mohawk businesses to become NYS tax collectors on non-native consumers making purchases on Mohawk land. They are trying to eliminate our competitive edge, and speaking of Mohawk land, they also feel we are not entitled to one square inch of our land claim. If they could make our tobacco manufacturing sector disappear with a simple ‘snap of the finger’, please make no mistake, they wouldn’t hesitate.

During his pep rally speech, he mentioned his brokered compact with National Grid as an example of his negotiating skills and stated that this compact will establish our own utility company, create eight jobs and reduce our rates by 40 percent. In return, the tribe will give the CEO of National Grid, 18 million dollars of our money for his exit strategy, how could anyone be critical of this agreement?? I’m sorry but this issue should have been handled in whole different manner, and the kind of leadership that I envision would have opted for energy independence. Ransom’s plan keeps our homes dependent on someone else’s energy when he should have used the 18 million dollars and commission a comprehensive feasibility study for wind and solar power. The most fundamental principals of our culture talk about the power of the wind and the sun, these elements are mentioned everyday in the Thanksgiving Address inside Haudenosaunee country. The mightiest nations on Earth are all headed in this direction, United States, Germany, Sweden, France and the list goes on. My understating of the basic concept of wind turbines is that they run generators, and these generators produce energy. A conscientious Mohawk would have started with a green energy plan to accommodate 10,000 homes and use our money to embark on this journey. Many members would ask ‘how would we get this power to the homes?’ Well, there are two very important pieces of federal legislation that would apply in this scenario. The host company, i.e. National Grid, cannot deny access to their delivery system (poles and wires), and any surplus energy we produce, would have to be bought by the host company, of course at a fair market value. For decades Mohawk households have been wrestling with monthly invoices for our energy, can you envision the day the Nation sends National Grid an electric bill?? These Federal laws were passed by Congress to prevent a monopoly by utility companies, and everyone knows that a monopoly is a cardinal sin in a capitalist society. As a sovereign entity we have a right to produce and market, goods and services, the Nation could have a significant impact on the local energy market, in much the same way we have a right to market tobacco.

We need a candidate that is a firm believer in the talent of our people to be able to manage, maintain, and environmentally monitor this kind of system, thus creating probably more than eight Mohawk jobs….err, excuse me Jim, North Country jobs. A conscientious Mohawk would use revenue from our collective sovereignty to pay for the administrative and maintenance of this system and relieve Mohawk households of monthly electric bills. This would be a form of a per capita system for the Nation. Free electricity, does that ‘ring a bell’ Jim?? Please don’t say that it isn’t practical, we already provide centralized water in this same manner. It is sad that the entire elected body doesn’t think this way, or at least I haven’t seen it. Under President Obama’s stimulus plan he appropriated tens of million of dollars specifically for Indian Country to explore the feasibility of wind and solar farms so that they can become independent with green energy options.

I think it’s time for a change

Darman W Terrance