Mahwah Continuing To Fine Ramapoughs For Prayer Services

MAHWAH, NJ — The Ramapough Mountain Indians continue to hold prayer services and use their ceremonial land despite a warning from the township they will be fined for zoning and site plan violations there.

The Ramapoughs have refused to sign a settlement agreement between themselves and the town regarding structures and permitted activities at their 95 Halifax Road property.

Township administrative officer Geraldine Entrup warned Ramapough Chief Dwain Perry that the Ramapoughs are using the land for "religious uses" without obtaining the proper permits first or submitting site plans for several structures there, including tepees and a stone altar.

Seventeen summonses were already retroactively issued to the Ramapoughs from March 29 to April 20. Ten summonses a day will be issued by the Mahwah Municipal Court each day the violations continue, Entrup said in her letter. Dozens more were issued when the conflict first started in 2016.

"It's unfortunate the racist machinations of a few wealthy citizens dictates the common decency and policies of the town of Mahwah," Perry said. "To all who are aggressively apposed to the Ramapough gathering and praying on their own land, I ask you to please explain to the citizenry why and who are the Ramapough offending so much that you need to show such hate toward common prayer."

The legal conflict between the town and Ramapough goes back years.

The township first issued summonses against the Ramapoughs Dec. 13, 2016 for not getting the permits and permissions before constructing the structures, which also include three 15-foot tall tepees, several tents, several totem poles and a cooking pavilion.

The structures were erected on what the Ramapoughs call the Sweet Water Prayer site in protest of the proposed Pilgrim Pipeline in New Jersey and the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. Other buildings soon followed and the nation invited people to camp on the land overnight.

Superior Court Judge Roy F. McGeady ruled in November that the Ramapoughs violated local zoning laws and must pay $13,000 in fines, but that they can continue to use the property for religious purposes and have tents there.

A Superior Court judge denied an injunction in December filed by the Ramapo Hunt & Polo Club Association against the Ramapoughs. The club tried to prevent the tribe from conducting various activities on the property. The club is located near it.

The club wanted Powers to prevent "any religious" activity on the site and block people from staying there overnight. The club also wanted large gatherings and "activities that cause loud noises, smoke and air and water pollution" banned.

Related: Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs
Related: Judge Rules Tribe Broke The Law By Erecting Tepees
Related: Judge Sides With Ramapoughs, Lifts Restraining Order Regarding Tepees At Prayer Site

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