Aug 20, 2014 - For Immediate Release: ‘Love Water Not Oil’ Northern Tour

For Immediate Release: ‘Love Water Not Oil’ Northern Tour

 East Lake, Minisinoo, Minnesota – Monday, August 18th, Winona LaDuke, Executive Director of Honor the Earth, embarks on a horse ride against the proposed Enbridge Sandpiper pipeline. Partnering with the leadership for the ride is Shane Davis, Executive Director Fractivist.org. Along the way the riders will raise awareness of the proposed pipeline by informing native communities and landowners of the inherent risks of the project and their rights to oppose it. 

The initial leg of ride will traverse the Sandy Lake and Rice Lake watersheds, a mother lode of wild rice in Minnesota.. The proposed pipeline would divide the traditional wild rice beds from East to West.

LaDuke says “Enbridge chose a bad path. The people of Minnesota love their water more than oil and they are standing up against the pipeline.”

District 2 Rep. of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, David “Niib” Aubid said “I can’t fathom how they would put the pipeline in. …this particular area. It’s a glacial lake bed bottom, with vast amounts of manoomin …making the quantities and qualities of life rich. We feel threatened.”

Michael Dahl, Anishinaabe spiritual leader and rider explained, “This is the same path our ancestors walked. Now we are riding in those same footsteps. We are here to protect this land for future generations.”

Honor the Earth asserts that the Sandpiper pipeline permitting process is not solely a state jurisdiction issue, particularly since the route crosses the l855 treaty area. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, White Earth and Mille Lacs band agree. At the recent Mille Lacs Powwow, LaDuke accepted a donation of $5,000 from the band to support the campaign, “We are very grateful for tribal government support, and look forward to working with the tribal leadership,” LaDuke said.

 Both the Mille Lacs and White Earth tribal governments have expressed their concerns to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission about the proposed 610 mile line. Tribal concerns, along with the concerns of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and numerous lake shore owners and landowners, resulted in the PUC ordering another route option to be studied by Enbridge.

 A single leak in the pipeline could discharge up to 20,000 gallons of fracked  oil a minute. “This would cause irreparable damage to an extremely biodiverse and intact ecosystem, “ LaDuke said.

 Davis, of Fractivist.org, is an oil and gas analyst who has been documenting the impact of the fracking industry in Colorado. “Fracked oil is a last ditch effort, and poses a significant radioactive threat to the environment and human health.”

 The Sandpiper would carry fracked oil. “  Minnesota residents should question the inherent dangers the pipelines pose to our environment and human health,” Michael Dahl said.  

 Honor the Earth  welcomes any and all concerned people who would like to join the historic ride. To ensure this campaign is successful, please donate online at: https://honorearth.nationbuilder.com/donate.

 For more information on the Sandpiper pipeline, the ‘Love Water Not Oil’ Northern Tour, or to donate to Honor the Earth, please visit www.honorearth.org.