We Don’t Need More Pipelines, We Need Courage to Stop Them

Yesterday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted to approve the Certificate of Need and Route permit for Enbridge’s Line 3 tar sands pipeline.  

The decision was made by appointed commissioners in a hearing room packed with representatives from Indigenous Nations, organizations like Honor the Earth, Minnesotra350, and the Powershift Network, and Minnesotans of all ages, including the youth, and countless others watching the live stream around the country.  

As it became clear that the commissioners were approaching an approval for the Enbridge pipeline to move forward, emotions ran high — one commissioner discussed her reasoning for approving the pipeline while holding back tears. People hugged and consoled each other in the hallway. Another woman in the crowd stood up and said, “You have just declared war on the Ojibwe.”  Outside, a protester on a tripod held up the message, “Expect Resistance.” Winona LaDuke said, in response, “We are going to continue to stand on the right side of history, because someone has to stand for the water, for future generations. What they have done to us is egregious,” and called on Water Protectors to come to Minnesota to make a stand.

Even the Governor of Minnesota, in a public statement following the PUC’s decision said, “The PUC’s decision is not the final approval of this pipeline. Rather, it only allows Enbridge to begin to apply for at least 29 required federal, state, and local permits. … Approvals are by no means assured, and they would require any such project to meet Minnesota’s highest standards, protecting all our state’s earth, air, water, natural resources, and cultural heritage.”

Statement from @GovMarkDayton on the Public Utilities Commission's action today on Enbridge's proposed #Line3 Oil Pipeline –>

To learn more about the permitting process for oil pipelines, click here: https://t.co/rHHCh94I14 pic.twitter.com/CTfT3qGOeD

— Matt Swenson (@MattSwenson) June 28, 2018

While these decisions are cloaked in process, the results impact people deeply, whether it’s the continued dismissal of treaty rights and the threat of spills, or that young people know each decision we make to build new fossil fuel infrastructure is another step towards what increasingly feels like inevitable climate catastrophe.

Despite the vocal opposition of Indigenous tribes, the extensive evidence and expert testimony against the need for the pipeline, the thousands of Minnesotans who will be at risk of potential spill, and the growing global movement against the expansion of tar sands oil — this pipeline was approved to move forward, with , the commissioners seemingly unable to take a courageous stand in light of the overwhelming opposition to the new project.

Brent Murcia of Youth Climate Interveners “we gave the PUC all the evidence they needed to do the right thing and they were afraid. This is not over.” #stopline3 #keepitintheground #ActOnClimate @MNIPL @HonorTheEarth @MN_350 @350 @billmckibben pic.twitter.com/8aIHN7famS

— Kevin Whelan (@KwhelanMpls) June 28, 2018

BREAKING: “You have just declared war on the Ojibwe.” MN PUC is officially approving the #Line3 pipeline. They chose to side with big oil, to betray the people of Minnesota.

This is an attack on tribal communities, clean water, & our climate.
We will #StopLine3. #WaterIsLife pic.twitter.com/tHDqyqV2qi

— Power Shift Network (@powershiftnet) June 28, 2018

The Line 3 pipeline threatens the rights of sovereign Indigenous Nations and the health and safety of individuals and communities across the region. It would cross numerous biodiverse waterways and headwaters critical for drinking water. Any spill from this pipeline would be disastrous — putting important wild rice beds, wildlife, drinking water, and local economy at risk. Unfortunately, it isn’t a matter of if there will be a spill on this pipeline, but when.

Enbridge does not have a clean record when it comes to spills on their existing pipeline network. Looking at spill record data in the U.S. from 2010 to 2017, Enbridge and its subsidiaries and joint ventures had 147 spills totaling 40,794 barrels of hazardous liquids. Of those spills 137 were crude oil, 7 were refined petroleum products and 3 were HVL. One of the worst incidents occured in 2010, when 20,000 barrels spilled into the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, Michigan, impacting hundreds of residents with a multi-year, billion dollar remediation effort.

It is no wonder that people in Minnesota, civil society organizations, and Tribal governments alike have been opposed to this pipeline since it was first proposed.

But the Indigenous-led movement to oppose destructive tar sands oil pipelines, backed by tens of thousands of allies and individuals across the state of Minnesota, Canada, the continent, and around the world, will not be deterred.

Together we have stopped pipelines before, and we will do it again.  Outside, a protester on a tripod held up the message, “Expect Resistance.”  Winona LaDuke said, in response, “We are going to continue to stand on the right side of history, because someone has to stand for the water, for future generations. What they have done to us is egregious,” and called on Water Protectors to come to Minnesota to make a stand.

Even the Governor of Minnesota, in a public statement following the PUC’s decision said, “The PUC’s decision is not the final approval of this pipeline. Rather, it only allows Enbridge to begin to apply for at least 29 required federal, state, and local permits. … Approvals are by no means assured, and they would require any such project to meet Minnesota’s highest standards, protecting all our state’s earth, air, water, natural resources, and cultural heritage.”

Let this serve as a warning to the banks and companies backing these destructive projects: oil pipelines that threaten water, violate Indigenous rights, and put the environment at risk of oil spills  — including Line 3, Keystone XL, and the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline — will continue to face a growing resistance. These projects will remain a reputational and financial liability.  The courage of the movement is greater than can be imagined, and this resistance continues to grow.

Tell the Dirty Dozen banks not to fund pipelines that threaten our water, human rights, and Indigenous sovereignty!

Here is some additional background on the Line 3 pipeline. Visit www.StopLine3.org for more information and background from our allies.