Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org, 914-261-4626
Natalie Cook, natalie.cook@sierraclub.org, 651-295-3483
St. Paul, MN -- Today, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted to reject a petition to reconsider its approval of the certificate of need for Enbridge’s proposed Line 3 tar sands pipeline. Local activists filled the hallway outside of the hearing room calling out the recent news that Enbridge spent $11 million last year lobbying to influence Minnesota decision-makers.
The pipeline has generated enormous controversy and public opposition among Minnesotans. If built, Line 3 would run through critical water resources, putting them at risk of tar sands spills and threatening the sovereignty and way of life of local tribes.
“With their approval of Line 3, the PUC is ignoring serious threats to Minnesota’s clean water and the wishes of the communities that would be directly affected by this dirty tar sands pipeline,” said Margaret Levin, director of the Sierra Club North Star Chapter. “We will continue to fight for a cleaner, healthier future, and ensure that this pipeline is never built.”
"The PUC was wrong to allow Enbridge to build Line 3 through treaty-protected lands, and we will continue to fight to protect the rights, health, and way of life of the Ojibwe people," said Joe Plumer, Attorney for the Red Lake and White Earth Bands.
“It’s tragic that the PUC can be bought for $11 million in Minnesota. That’s what it took for them to look past decisions made by other state agencies. We continue to stand for our water,” says Winona LaDuke, Executive Director and co-founder of Honor the Earth. “While Enbridge can spend $11 million lobbying the PUC and Minnesotans for Line 3 in 2018, it can’t take the time or expense to flesh out meaningful and reliable plans to safeguard Minnesotans from man camps, sex trafficking, and the like while pretending to have $100 million dollars in payments for Indians and tribes to actively engage in jeopardizing the greatest gifts from the Creator.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.