Margaret Levin, margaret.levin@sierraclub.org
Liz Doherty, liz.doherty@sierraclub.org
St. Paul, MN -- Today, the Minnesota Court of Appeals failed to halt construction of the Line 3 tar sands pipeline. Coalition members who have been fighting this project for years released the following statements:
“The Red Lake Nation is very disappointed that the Minnesota Courts place more weight on the employment of out of town pipeline workers than it does the irreparable harm that construction causes to our water, wild rice, and forests,” said Joe Plumer, attorney for Red Lake Nation.
“It’s disappointing,” added Frank Bibeau, attorney for the White Earth reservation. “We will endeavor to persevere.
“The climate and fossil-fuel directives coming quickly from the new president – plus the rapidly increasing investment in and growth of renewable energy – make it clear the era of carbon-loaded oil pipelines is coming to a close. On January 26, DAPL lost its appeal to overturn a federal ruling to shut that pipeline down. It’s jarring that the Minnesota court did not recognize these executive and judicial developments, or the strong green trends in the market,” said Winona LaDuke, Executive Director and co-founder of Honor the Earth. “Given the Biden administration’s recent Executive Order to halt the Keystone pipeline -- which is really a twin of the Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline -- we are deeply disappointed in today’s decision not to support an overturn of the stay request from the Red Lake and White Earth tribes and Friends of the Headwaters to halt the rapid and dangerous construction of Line 3 during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“Line 3 is in court because multiple Native nations, grassroots groups, and the Minnesota Department of Commerce have argued its approval violated state law,” said Andy Pearson, Midwest Tar Sands Coordinator with MN350. “These groups deserve their day to be heard. It’s time for President Biden to stop Line 3 like he stopped Keystone XL. Any further delay in stopping construction means irreversible harm to more treaty territory and more pieces of pipe in the ground that are fundamentally incompatible with the Paris Climate Accord.”
“We are disappointed that the Court is allowing Enbridge to continue their construction assault on Minnesota’s natural environment, but we will continue our vigorous legal fight against the Line 3 pipeline,” said Richard Smith, president of Friends of the Headwaters.
“This decision is bitterly disappointing. Indigenous leaders, organizers, landowners, and allies have stood on the frontlines for years to fight this pipeline, which would disrupt Minnesota communities, pollute our water, and harm our climate. Now more than ever, it’s up the Biden Administration to cancel this project once and for all,” said Margaret Levin, State Director of the Sierra Club North Star Chapter.
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.