Indigenous people and climate activists continue to oppose Line 3.
Almost one year after the final permit of the Line 3 Replacement Project was approved, protesters against the pipeline’s expansion persist. Those opposing Line 3 include tribal governments, landowners, environmental groups, and surrounding communities; they claim that the pipeline violates indigenous rights, perpetuates environmental racism, and puts those in the Great Lakes region at risk for oil spills. Those in support for Line 3 emphasize the jobs and economic stimulus it will provide. Police and Enbridge (the company building the pipeline) have taken aggressive action to suppress opposition.
The current Line 3 project will actually replace the original Line 3 pipeline that was built in 1968 by Enbridge, known at the time as Lakehead Pipeline Company. The original pipeline extended 1,031 miles from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin, transporting crude oil. Because of mismanagement and negligence, the pipe suffered 24 leaks from the 1970s to 1991; during this time, more than four million gallons of oil spilled.
Then in 1991, Line 3 ruptured in Minnesota, resulting in the largest inland oil spill in United States history, spilling 1.7 million gallons of crude oil. The spill killed fish, devastated vegetation and marshes, and resulted in the evacuation of about three hundred people.
These deformities in the pipeline could not be ignored. Enbridge elected to replace the pipeline completely in 2014. The new pipeline would follow the same route as the original and operate in the same fashion. In December 2020, the company began construction in Minnesota, the last leg of the pipeline replacement, amidst major opposition.
Still, there are groups that support the pipeline, such as unions. Enbridge pledged to create about 8,600 jobs, 6,500 of them local. This promise garnered the backing of four unions in Minnesota. Now about 80% complete, the pipeline is expected to be completed and operating by the fourth fiscal quarter.
Enbridge says they are working “to ensure the protection of cultural resources, water, land and wildlife during construction.” Activists disagree, however, citing indigenous rights as a key reason to cancel the project. Line 3 violates the principles of sovereignty as neither Enbridge nor Minnesota have received impacted tribes’ consent. Furthermore, the pipeline is sure to impact the land and surrounding vegetation, which is vital for some tribes’ survival.
Based on its history, the replacement Line 3 is likely to spill. If it does, it will affect surrounding communities and disproportionately impact native communities and their access to food and resources.
There is a complete discrepancy between what Enbridge claims and how the indigenous community has responded. Enbridge supposedly reached out to several dozen tribes, asked them what areas to avoid for cultural reasons, and then committed to avoiding these areas and developing avoidance measures. However, the state of Minnesota itself actually did not evaluate sites deemed culturally important. And, it is clear by the ongoing protests that many indigenous people are strongly against Line 3 and do not feel like Enbridge has taken into account the effect of the pipeline on indigenous communities. Unfortunately, indigenous people lack political and social representation due to systemic racism and voter suppression, making it a struggle to fight against Enbridge, one of the largest North American oil companies.
Line 3 will have drastic environmental effects as well. Abandoning the original Line 3 will result in contaminated water and soil as well as excessive water drainage. With no regulations in place to require the removal and cleanup of the pipeline, Enbridge is able to simply leave it behind to a deteriorating ecosystem.
The new Line 3 will also have a damaging impact on the environment. As the quantity of fossil fuels moved by the pipeline will increase more than twice as much as the original capacity, it will heavily contribute to climate change and the further degradation of the atmosphere. Line 3 will also move tar sands, a solid crude that pollutes groundwater and the atmosphere with carcinogens and other toxins.
Because of these reasons, daily peaceful protests led by indigenous women and two-spirit people continue. Minnesota state police have handled the protests with excessive force. For example, in June 2021, people occupied a pumping station in protest of Line 3. Law enforcement called for assistance, a Department of Homeland Security Border Patrol helicopter kicked up sand, showering and blinding protesters. Enbridge has also funded Minnesota law enforcement agencies with $750,000 to protect the pipeline’s construction.
The federal government has the power to halt the construction of the pipeline. It would align with President Joe Biden’s goals to combat climate change as he was praised for blocking an essential permit for the Keystone Pipeline in January 2021. Because construction of the pipeline resumed under the Trump administration, this decision was momentous and supposedly indicated fundamental progress. However, the Biden administration supported the rejection of a challenge brought by environmental and tribal groups against the pipeline in June 2021.
Barstow students can take action by writing letters and sending emails to the Army Corps of Engineers and the White House through Stop Line 3. It is important to spread the word about the effects of the pipeline as well. The Line 3 Replacement Program blatantly demonstrates the continuous grip of the fossil fuel industry on the government, jobs, environment, and socioeconomically marginalized communities.
