CODE RED: President Biden DNR and Gov. Walz Unwilling to Stop Line 3 On-going Waters and Wetlands Contaminations
CODE RED: President Biden DNR and Gov. Walz Unwilling to Stop Line 3 On-going Waters and Wetlands Contaminations
BAGLEY, MINN. – September 27, 2021 -- Enbridge Line 3 construction continues to violate federal 404 and state 401 clean water act permits in Minnesota because the DNR, MPCA and the U.S. Corps of Engineers are unwilling to stop the violators, Enbridge Line 3.
“There's a situation growing at Clearwater River crossing near Bagley and Highway 2,” reported drone photographer, Ron Turney, Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN ).
“Today, I noticed lots of fluids all over the work yard. It looks like an HDD waste containment failure, new black trucks monitoring the pumps, more workers. Not sure but doesn't look good!”
Turney has been recording and posting photos and videos about various spills, vegetation kills and frac-outs resulting from HDD drilling activities, some showing chemicals rising in the Clearwater tributary, killing all vegetation it touches.
“Same color of chemical sheen as seen at Camp Firelight near the Mississippi,” said Turney, “and there's more drill fluids rising along the east easement. Notice the dark reddish mud the same color as the waste in the massive tanks.”
In a related legal effort to Stop Line 3 construction Manoomin (wild rice) and Water Protectors have filed for another Preliminary Injunction, this time in White Earth Tribal Court of Appeals against the Minnesota DNR to cease all surface and groundwater drawing permits and all discharge and dewatering permits . . . all wanton waste of fresh water related activities.
“The Rights of Manoomin, the Rights of Nibi (water), all the Rights of Nature are being violated by the DNR every day the DNR lets Enbridge Line 3 continue irreparably destroying our freshwater drinking aquifers, rivers, lakes and wetlands,” said Michael Fairbanks, Chairman White Earth Band of Ojibwe. “We are all Water Protectors! That is except the DNR and Enbridge,” Fairbanks continued., “I’m wondering when the federal government will wake up and smell the CODE RED issued by the UN on climate AND smell the forest fire smoke during our drought? CODE RED President Biden! Tell Jaime Pinkham and the Corps of Engineers to shut Line 3 down ASAP!”
Exhibit A for Manoomin’s Motion for Injunction is a report explaining how Enbridge violated water protection rules again while MNDNR stands by Jeffrey S. Broberg, LPG, MA, Minnesota Licensed Professional Geologist dated September 22, 2021. Mr. Broberg is an Expert Witness in the Manoomin v DNR case explaining how the DNR 5 billion gallons dewatering permit in June 2021 and the $3.3 M fine and restoration order in September 2021 provide a clear chronology of events outlining Enbridge’s cover-up and concealment (since Jan 2021) of the aquifer breach (24M/gallons so far).
The Motion for Injunction alleges DNR permits are part of an after-the-fact DNR permitting cover-up with Enbridge, and that at the same time, the MPCA is quietly ignoring frac-outs as a reason to stop pollution waters.
“This is Manoomin ecocide,” said Winona LaDuke of Honor the Earth. “Enbridge screwed up right in the beginning of construction in January 2021 and the independent environmental monitors Enbridge hired told no one for months and the DNR is letting Enbridge continue!?” LaDuke added, “Calling all Water Protectors! CODE RED!! This is our Standing Rock moment for Line 3, right beside U.S. Highway 2 in Bagley, Minnesota. WE THE PEOPLE must RISE and come together, here and now to STOP LINE 3!”
Contact:
Frank Bibeau (218) 760-1258 frankbibeau@gmail.com
Jeffrey Broberg (507) 273-4961 brobergmnwoo@gmail.com
Ron Turney (218) 760-2578 ronblkcld@gmail.com