In June of this year, our friends and allies in Minnesota watched the unjust approval of Enbridge’s Line 3 tar sands pipeline through their state -- a decision that we know the ignored the input of tribal nations and established climate science.
But the good news is the fight is far from over -- just last week, pipeline fighters and Ojibwe bands filed legal challenges against the pipeline’s environmental review. These appeals demonstrate the large and broad opposition to the pipeline and the poor decision by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to approve the project. This is just the first round of legal appeals, and we know there are many more opportunities for building resistance on the ground and in our communities.
On Thursday, August 23rd, there will be ‘Downstream’ call-in day to Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton’s office to thank him for his work opposing Line 3 so far and ask him do everything in his power to stop Line 3 from harming communities not only in Minnesota, but downstream across Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
These call-in days are part of a larger local strategy to escalate the pressure on Governor Dayton ahead of the remaining DNR and PCA permit processes and the opportunity to appeal the PUC decision. You can help make a difference in this decision! Call the governor THIS THURSDAY- we have talking points and it’s super easy. Help us to protect the environment for all Wisconsinites and our friends in Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
The Line 3 tar sands pipeline would send more tar sands oil down from Canada every day, crossing the Mississippi headwaters and into Superior. There, it would create the ‘need’ for another pipeline, likely through Wisconsin. If this oil spills in water, it can’t be fully cleaned up. If the oil doesn’t spill, it would send the equivalent of 50 coal plants worth of climate change pollution into the atmosphere, contributing to the awful climate nightmare we’re already watching play out in the forest fires all across the west.
With your help, the movement against Enbridge is fighting back against the illegal and reckless approval of more pipeline projects. We can win together. Thanks for making the call.
GOVERNOR DAYTON'S NUMBER: 651-201-3400
Here’s an easy, sample script:
Hi, my name is ___, I live in ___, and I am calling today to express my concern about the Line 3 pipeline. If Line 3 is constructed, that oil will be passed on to those of us downstream, including here in Wisconsin. We’ll be facing destructive pipeline expansion and construction, and increasing the risk of oil spills in our communities. Enbridge has already changed the laws in Wisconsin to use eminent domain to take land for the pipeline. I want to thank Governor Dayton for supporting his agencies in opposing the pipeline, and ask that he do everything in his power to stop this pipeline from enabling more harm across the Great Lakes region. I personally care about stopping Line 3 because________. I’m calling today to ask that Governor Dayton stand with his neighbors and speak out against Line 3.