Groups Deliver Thousands of Minnesotan Petition Signatures Against Enbridge Line 3 to Minnesota State Capitol

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 6, 2019

CONTACT:
Rye Butler, rbutler [at] greenpeace.org
Collin Rees, collin [at] priceofoil.org

Groups Deliver Thousands of Minnesotan Petition Signatures Against Enbridge Line 3 to Minnesota State Capitol

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, Minnesotans and allied organizations gathered at Governor Tim Walz’s office in the State Capitol to urge his administration to stop the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline with over 17,000 petition signatures from over 460 towns, cities, and municipalities across Minnesota.

Minnesotans from Greenpeace, Oil Change International, CREDO Action, Daily Kos, Environment Minnesota, Food & Water Watch, Greenpeace, Honor the Earth, MN350, and the Sierra Club North Star Chapter presented signatures from Minnesotans urging Governor Walz and his administration to respect Indigenous treaty rights and protect the land, water, wild rice, and climate from the threats posed by Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline project.

Rachel Rye Butler, Climate Campaigner with Greenpeace, said:

“Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan made the right move earlier this year in continuing the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s appeal of the Line 3 pipeline permits. Today thousands of Minnesotans are calling on the Walz Administration to stand strong and do everything in their power to make sure that the dangerous Line 3 pipeline is never built. Enbridge has been trying to bamboozle decision makers and everyday Minnesotans into supporting Line 3 despite its clear risks to the land, water, and climate. Enbridge may have the ignominious distinction of being the biggest lobbying spender in the state, but the strong and growing opposition to Line 3 shows that Minnesotans aren’t buying it.”

Collin Rees, Senior Campaigner with Oil Change International, said:

“Line 3 is a key test for Governor Walz and his administration to prove he’s willing to be a climate leader and stand up for Indigenous rights. The science is crystal clear: There’s zero room for new fossil fuel infrastructure if we’re to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. And the politics on climate are simple — it’s not enough to support renewable energy goals if you’re not actively planning for a careful phase-out of the fossil fuel industry as well. Governor Walz must stand strong with Indigenous communities and tens of thousands of others across Minnesota, and do everything he can to ensure Line 3 is never built.”

Irna Landrum, Campaign Director with Daily Kos, said:

“We cannot ignore how, in addition to these oil pipeline projects needlessly endangering our water and health for profit, Line 3 and others like it violate the land treaty rights of tribal nations. Stopping Line 3 is a matter of environmental and climate justice, but it is also crucial to preserving indigenous lands and sovereignty.”

Tim Schaefer, State Director with Environment Minnesota, said:

“Enbridge’s proposed Line 3 expansion is a clear threat to Minnesota’s indigenous people, its water, and to the future of our state. Climate change is real and there is no longer any excuse to expand our fossil fuel infrastructure. If they consider themselves climate champions and upholders of treaty rights, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan must do everything in their power to stop Line 3.”

Andrea Chu, Regional Organizer with Food & Water Watch, said:

“We cannot afford to lock-in our use of fossil fuels with Line 3 because we have very little time to hold off the worst of the climate crisis. Line 3 would be such a huge step backward for Minnesota, when we need to create good green jobs and build renewable energy to have any chance at a livable climate for the future.”

Dr. Laalitha Surapaneni, member of Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, said:

“We saw a preview of the health impacts of Line 3 this past week. Wildfire smoke from Alberta, Canada, coupled with hot weather in Minneapolis caused poor air quality. Vulnerable Minnesotans like children with asthma are hurt the most by poor air quality. Our current climate crisis will worsen if we continue to burn tar sands oil. Climate change is a public health emergency. The prescription is to quit fossil fuels and move to clean energy and electric transportation. As a health professional, I say no to Line 3.”

Mary Breen, Volunteer with MN350, said:

“Enbridge is spending millions of dollars to try to convince us that the Line 3 pipeline is right for Minnesota. In reality, Minnesotans across the state agree that Line 3 must not be built — the risks to climate, water, and Ojibwe treaty rights are too great. At such a divided time in our country, the movement to stop Line 3 and move away from tar sands oil is something that tens of thousands of us have found unity and community around.”

Margaret Levin, Director with Sierra Club North Star Chapter, said:

“Line 3 would threaten our clean water, communities, and climate, all for the sake of more oil our state does not need. Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan have made it clear that they understand these risks, and now we urge them to continue doing everything in their power to stop this dirty tar sands pipeline and realize a truly clean, just energy future for all Minnesotans.”

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About Environment Minnesota
Environment Minnesota is a citizen-based environmental advocacy organization and a project of Environment America. We believe there’s something special about Minnesota — something worth protecting and preserving for future generations. Whether it’s the light shimmering off Lake Superior, the wild beauty of the Boundary Waters, or our countless parks and forests, Minnesota’s natural wonders enrich our lives in countless ways.

About Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold & uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.

About Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

About Honor the Earth
Our mission is to create awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native communities. Honor the Earth develops these resources by using music, the arts, the media, and Indigenous wisdom to ask people to recognize our joint dependency on the Earth and be a voice for those not heard.

About MN350
MN350 unites Minnesotans as part of a global movement to end the pollution damaging our climate, speed the transition to clean energy, and create a just and healthy future for all.

About Oil Change International
Oil Change International is a research, communications, and advocacy organization focused on exposing the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitating the ongoing transition to clean energy.

About Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.5+ million members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world.