Line 3 Pipeline
One recent event that I am both concerned and frustrated about is the building of the Line 3 pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to Superior, Minnesota. This pipeline is a “replacement” pipeline for damaged areas that already exist (Stop Line 3). However, there is no clear plan for removing the damaged parts of the existing pipeline (What Is Line 3?).
You can view more maps of the pipeline here.
Enbridge, the company that proposed this pipeline, is responsible for the largest inland oil spill in the United States. They have a horrible track record in terms of cleaning up their messes and preserving the land. The land that this pipeline is supposed to run through wetlands and treaty territory of the Anishinaabe people. This pipeline would go across lots of untouched and important lands (Stop Line 3).
This pipeline is part of a dying industry and will no doubt have a significant effect on the surrounding area. It is best that we focus our efforts on creating new sources of energy instead of supporting a dying industry that also harms our planet. In addition, this pipeline would violate the treaties with the Anishinaabe people and wild rice is extremely important to their culture (What Is Line 3?). This is just another example of environmental racism.
In addition, the construction is continuing despite stay at home orders in the area of the pipeline, thus exposing the people who live in these areas to COVID-19. This also makes it more difficult to protest and oppose the process to build this destructive pipeline.
There has already been significant opposition to this pipeline. It was supposed to be completed in 2017 but due to protests and lawsuits, it has been put on hold. On January 14, several protestors locked themselves together inside one of the segments of the pipeline(Stop Line 3). The United States Government must stop the building of this pipeline to protect the sacred land that it stands on. This pipeline will inevitably leak and will damage much of this land(What Is Line 3?)
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This pipeline must be stopped. The United States has a horrible history with Indigenous land and we must not allow it to continue.
Stop Line 3, www.stopline3.org/.
“What Is Line 3?” YouTube, YouTube, 4 Dec. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S9hfiXcl_Q.
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You make a lot of good points in this post. Stopping the Line 3 pipeline and the use of fossil fuels in general is such an important issue. I don't understand why people think they can just ignore the treaties in place with the Anishinaabe people and all of the harm that this pipeline would cause them. This is such a clear example of environmental racism. Biden needs to step up and stop this pipeline and start working towards renewable energy.
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