Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Doing Its Own Environmental Impact Statement for Northern MN Pipeline

The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is stepping up its efforts to stop Enbridge Line 3, a proposed reroute and expansion of an oil pipeline running through northern Minnesota, from Kittson County in the northwest corner to Duluth/Superior.

We wrote last week about Enbridge’s Line 3 plans (read here). The project has raised concerns about leaks that could contaminate fresh water and wild rice areas. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe plans to develop its own environmental impact statement (EIS) as a “supplement and counterpoint” to the EIS being developed by the State of Minnesota.

Honor the Earth is calling it “The People’s EIS,” and is raising money to help move it forward.

Honor the Earth has a webpage on the tribal EIS, including a 3-minute video by Winona LaDuke explaining Line 3 and information on how to donate to the tribal EIS. The website says:

The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is a federally recognized tribal government comprised of 6 Ojibwe/Chippewa Bands (Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth) and their more than 42,000 members.

A tribal EIS is a very rare thing in the context of big infrastructure projects.  This is a bold and courageous assertion of self-determination.  The tribes are unified but need your support as they stand up to protect their landbase and the resources critical to the survival of the Anishinaabeg.

The purpose of the tribal EIS is to inform tribal decision-making about the project and address profound shortcomings in the range and depth of content in the State’s EIS, especially its assessment of environmental and cultural impacts specific to tribal communities.  Throughout the State of Minnesota’s regulatory process for this pipeline, they have disregarded many tribal concerns, denied repeated requests for formal consultation, and denied the clear need for unique tribal knowledge and expertise. …

DAPL Documentary Trailer

A filmmaker from the Netherlands is making a documentary on the water protectors efforts to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline called “More Than a Pipeline.” Here is the four-and-a-half minute trailer.

New Indigenous Radio Show: “I’m Awake”

Native Roots Radio presents: I’m Awake, a new radio program focusing on indigenous issues, Saturday, 2 p.m. on AM950.

According to a release:

Our weekly Native American talk radio show will discuss national and local Native American news and events. Local and national guest will help us keep current with Mother Earth, Tribal and Twin Cities issues. Native American Issues are human Issues. We invite all people to walk hand in hand with our struggles, victories and achievements.We need to all become AWAKE.