The Legislature has authored a ridiculous resolution about oil and gas pipelines in Wisconsin. The description of the resolution is "recognizing the importance of oil and natural gas pipelines for Wisconsin and its economy."
Here was our statement on the resolution:
Given the science of climate change, this resolution is foolish. Last year, we saw climate-enhanced disasters including wildfires, droughts, heatwaves, hurricanes, flooding, and severe weather that will only continue to intensify. In Wisconsin, if we do nothing to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, Wisconsin’s farmers, Communities of Colors, and low-income residents will continue to be the most impacted.
We’re at a crossroads. We can continue our path towards progress – half of Wisconsin’s coal plants are slated for retirement – or we can allow new fossil fuel projects that lock us into a climate catastrophe. This resolution suggests we choose the path that locks us into destruction and climate chaos.
This resolution defies the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change report that identified “avoiding new fossil fuel infrastructure” as an important strategy to mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. The report points out “the market failure of fossil fuel industries to account for environmental damage, human health implications, and the continued placement of infrastructure adjacent to Indigenous, Black, and other communities of color.” Further, this resolution contradicts the Biden Administration’s commitments to meet the Paris Accord and curtail our use of oil and gas. We can’t make meaningful progress on climate change if we continue using fossil fuels.
This is especially inappropriate, given the Biden and Evers Administrations are currently collecting public comments about whether to permit Enbridge’s proposal to build a new segment to the Line 5 pipeline. This proposal is a slap in the face to the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa and a pipeline spill in the area would likely ruin the hunting, fishing, and gathering resources that Chippewa Tribes have a right to.
We saw with the recent construction of the Line 3 pipeline that even without a spill, the pipeline poses a threat to the water-rich area, including the Bad River, White River, Copper Falls State Park and the Kakagon Sloughs. The frac outs and aquifer breaches during construction of Line 3 are a dire warning to Wisconsin. Enbridge has demonstrated a willingness to risk breaches and ruptures because they can lead to faster completion of construction, or a whole new line. Our environment and economy cannot afford the damage that Enbridge will likely cause.
Instead of propping up an industry that we need to move away from, the Legislature should focus on passing meaningful climate legislation that creates jobs, cleans our air, and improves the health of all Wisconsinites.