On August 25, 2015 at 11am + 6pm, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will hold a meeting on the proposal to put another pipeline near Rice Lake through wild rice territory to carry 760,000+ barrels per day of tar sands oil towards Superior.  The fifty year old Enbridge Line 3 is along the Highway 2 corridor, and has been experiencing many structural problems, including 900 plus “anomalies,” which have included a number of leaks in Cohasset and Pinewood. As a result of this problem, and something called “pipeline fatigue,” where there are too many pipelines in one corridor, the company is hoping to secure a new route through the Rice Lake area without consent or consultation of tribes or communities. 

The fifty year old Enbridge Line 3 is along the Highway 2 corridor, and has been experiencing many structural problems, including 900 plus “anomalies,” which have included a number of leaks in Cohasset and Pinewood. As a result of this problem, and something called “pipeline fatigue,” where there are too many pipelines in one corridor, the company is hoping to secure a new route through the Rice Lake area without consent or consultation of tribes or communities.

Additionally the Koch Brothers, MinnCan line is planning an expansion to 350,000 barrels per day in the same corridor, near White Earth, although it goes south and does not impact the other lakes in the l855 treaty area. The PUC process is a bit confusing to most of us, and began with hearings about two year ago. The tribal governments were not consulted as the state proposed the pipeline through the l867 and l855 treaty areas. In the meantime, Indigenous people and allies have engaged in strong resistance related to the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline to date has not been approved. At the same time, have stopped the Northern Gateway pipeline, another contentious Enbridge pipeline that was supposed to take tar sands from the mines of Alberta to the coast of British Columbia.

Ganawenjigedaa Manoomin "Protect the Rice" from Enbridge Pipelines

Event on Facebook

Please contact [email protected] to sign up. 

RESOURCES:

Enbridge Line 3 Abandonment - What you need to know

SANDPIPER CERTIFICATE OF NEED IS DECLARATION OF WAR 

Mille Lacs and White Earth Bands Fighting Pipelines That Threaten Wild Rice

White Earth Band of Ojibwe and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe hold public hearings on proposed Enbridge Sandpiper and Line 3 Pipelines