News Release

Indigenous Environmental Network

After nine months of active construction and Indigenous-led resistance, the campaign to stop Enbridge’s Line 3 tar sands pipeline is applying increasing pressure to the Biden Administration and state officials to take action as heavy construction nears completion. There is still litigation pending to challenge the project, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is under legislative scrutiny over drilling accidents and water issues, and the demand for a federal Environmental Impact Statement on Line 3 is growing. 

The movement to stop Line 3 is continuing to resist this pipeline project on the frontlines, through the courts, through thousands of contacts to elected officials, and at daily rallies and media events across the country. A major rally is planned at the State Capitol on August 25th. 

Last week: 

  • The Treaty People Walk for Water traveled more than 100 miles, from the Headwaters of the Mississippi River to Brainerd, Minnesota. They are bringing messages from the frontlines of the Stop Line 3 movement to the steps of the MN State Capitol, where they will call on Governor Walz and President Biden to stop Line 3.
  • Water protectors continued to resist construction of Line 3 on the frontlines. The Giniw Collective led an action to shut down construction at two worksites. Water protectors with Camp Migizi halted construction near Gowan, Minnesota.
  • For the first time since active construction of the Line 3 pipeline began, two water protectors went to trial. One was aquitted. The other defendant, Brock Hefel, was convicted of public nuisance and sentenced to 30 days in Hubbard County Jail, which is double the jail time that the prosecutor had requested.
  • The IPCC released a new report highlighting the urgent need to stop expanding fossil fuel infrastructure. At the same time, Enbridge continued work on Line 3, which is currently the largest fossil fuel infrastructure expansion project under construction in the United States, and which will have the carbon pollution equivalent of building 50 new coal-fired power plants.
  • After weeks of obscuring the data, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency finally revealed that Enbridge has spilled drilling mud and polluted water at more than half of the water bodies they have bored under to build Line 3. In 28 total “frac-outs” Enbridge spilled more than 10,000 gallons of drilling mud and chemicals, threatening the health of Minnesota’s wetlands, rivers, and streams. (“MPCA: Line 3 drilling fluid spilled into wetlands,” MPR).

Upcoming events:

About Indigenous Environmental Network

Established in 1990, The Indigenous Environmental Network is an international environmental justice nonprofit that works with tribal grassroots organizations to build the capacity of Indigenous communities. Indigenous Environmental Network’s activities include empowering Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, the health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.

Learn more here: ienearth.org

Credit: (Image: Indigenous Environmental Network)