How Do the Land and Water Shape Who We Are?
Attention all lovers of nature, wildlife, and pristine public lands in the Lake Superior region: the Superior Waters Story Corps is gathering and uplifting personal narratives of people and their connection to the unique land and waterscape of the Southern shore of Lake Superior. The SWSC needs stories like yours to magnify the importance of the Lake Superior area and its conservation!
Why and how has this project come to be?
The Superior Waters Story Corps was created in order to reflect the profound effect that the precious array of wild animals, vegetation, and landforms along the South shore of Lake Superior has on those who live in and experience that area.
Since these lands and waters are coming under attack from Enbridge’s Line 5 tar sands pipeline, it is vital to express and collect these stories, in order to express to others what we are at risk of losing if we continue to allow fossil fuel and especially tar sands corporations to defile our pristine wild places.
What is Line 5 and why should we be concerned about it?
Enbridge is a Canadian fossil fuel company that trafficks in tar sands oil, an outmoded and particularly dirty form of crude oil that has the consistency of peanut butter. This tar sands fuel is harvested from open-pit mines in Canada that ravage the land and wildlife around them, then pumped through Enbridge’s network of pipelines going through the U.S. (such as Line 5 and Line 3) before reaching refineries where it is necessary to mix the crude oil with many other toxic compounds before it is usable as fuel. When burned, this horror of decades past burns dirtier than almost any other fuel, accelerating the emissions that are heightening the climate crisis.
Aside from endangering the planet through greenhouse gas emissions, tar sands is so insidious and dangerous because its thick consistency allows frequent spills to remain undetected until it is too late. The gummy substance sinks to the bottom of rivers and water sources, silently polluting the entirety of surrounding watersheds.
Line 5 has existed for years, but in recent history the Bad River Band as refused to renew the easement previously granted to Enbridge to build on their land. The tribe was even forced to press legal action against the company when Enbridge refused to obey the tribe’s decision. Rather than reevaluating its priorities, Enbridge has decided to reroute around the Bad River Reservation, creating miles of new pipeline that still endanger people, waters, and wildlife in the area. An oil spill on or near the tribe’s land could sicken or poison community members, destroy fish hatcheries, and contaminate the rice fields where sacred wild rice is gathered for sustenance. Lake Superior is also threatened by the current pipeline and Enbridge's proposed expansion.
Other troubling developments involve Enbridge’s refusal to shut down Line 5 at the Straits of Mackinac, despite Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s revocation of their easement to operate in the straits. This poses an enormous threat to the delicate ecosystems of Lakes Michigan and Huron, and the drinking water of millions who live along their shores. A spill that occurred there would be nearly impossible to contain, and due to prevailing currents would spread far, resulting in an environmental catastrophe. Michigan Attorney General Nessel and Governor Whitmer are fighting a dogged legal battle against this project, but Enbridge is refusing to budge without a court order to shut down the line.
What can I do to help?
The purpose of the Superior Waters Story Corps is to demonstrate everything we hold dear that Line 5 threatens to defile and destroy. As a part of spreading awareness, you can aid them by sharing your stories of how the unique landscape of Superior’s South shore has positively impacted your life. This can involve anything from fond memories of trips to the beach as a child, narratives of how you’ve taken enjoyment from boating or fishing on Superior’s waters, or even how the drinking water provided by the lake fuels your body and everything you do with it. You could regale readers and listeners with how experiences with local wildlife or a particularly beautiful Superior sunset have led to a philosophical transformation. All stories that demonstrate the vitality and necessity of protecting and preserving Lake Superior and its surrounding lands are welcome.
How do I submit/Where do I go for further information?
Superior Waters Story Corps looks forward to hearing your stories!
Written by Grace Johnson, Sierra Club Project Aide