Great work by ALL our ALLIES for sharing online and talking to everyone they know… about the horror of Enbridge’s Line 93 (Line 3 Replacement pipeline) Construction. We are NOW the TOP STORY on MPR’s home page!!
I told Doc I’d send him something so if you can get this to him, it’s much appreciated. This song – Inches & Miles – is one of my faves and it came to mind during my numbing shot.
We were also talking about the damages done by Enbridge during their construction up here and how extensive it is and how the public is largely ignorant of the impacts – as Enbridge, with the apparent help of MN agencies, has worked hard to assure. Thought I’d send more info in case other questions arise or you wanna share info with folks there. [Andā¦ it turned into a novelā¦ Take what you like and leave the rest! I been doing this too long. And… trigger warning: There are references below to some of the human impacts to women that are not easy reading.]
PLUS… Y’all may not realize it (as there is a lot of “behind the scenes secret stuff” in infrastructure work!!) yet the newest threat in southern Minnesota is CO2 pipelines. WAY MORE DANGEROUS than these tar sands pipelines – far more risks for citizen fatalities. I know CURE is working on this issue in case it affects any of your folks. [I heard Friday that State Farm is REFUSING to insure farmers who have CO2 pipelines in their land… so, THAT’S how dangerous they are.]
Anyhow… back to the ongoing horror of Enbridge up here in Lake Country.
Y’all saw the front page Strib piece last Tuesday on DNR finally reporting on the THREE aquifers Enbridge destroyed – bleeding our landscape dry in a year of already historic drought. Two breaches are within 8 and 25 miles of me; the third is near a friend’s house on Nagaajiwanaang / Fond du Lac Reservation (the breach is just off Reservation land). So many suffered here this summer. Wells drying up… So many who had to truck in water… Well, that’s just PART of the story.
And the worst on these aquifer breaches is that Paul Stolen, retired MNDNR, PREDICTED the troubles in LaSalle Valley – as he’d been on a PREVIOUS FRAC-OUT FAILURE… (see page 40 in the link; photos below). This testimony was from November 19, 2014. Six years before construction began.
Enbridge has worked very hard, spending millions, to assure most Minnesotans have no idea what they’re up to in Indian Country.
They talked of all the jobs they were going to bring, promising us locals HALF of them, then only delivering (MAYBE) 30% of the jobs to Minnesotans. Maybe… We don’t know. Seems Enbridge stopped reporting Minnesota jobs after their first dismal reporting on their numbers in Q4-2020.
“The PUC should have treated the Line 3 permits like a contract: āWe will give you permission to build this pipeline under these conditions. If you fail to meet those conditions, then there are consequences.ā It could be a $10 million fine, permit revocation, something to make sure that Minnesota got some meager benefit from this unnecessary pipeline.”
The main concern I’m facing at present are the impacts of Horizontal Directional Drilling frac-outs that happened during construction last summer. It seems these fluids may remain in our landscape and we see citizens monitoring water crossings – as MN agencies are largely unresponsive to the risks, parroting Enbridge talking points to assure all is well.
These are water samples taken March 1st in the Mississippi Headwaters a couple miles from my house (yeah, that’s my hand). The background of these photos is the Mississippi River Valley along Great River Road in Clearwater County, just a few miles north of the Headwaters crossing in Itasca State Park – as the crow flies. You can read more about this sampling in this FB Post from Indigenous Environmental Network or my blog: Minnesota Water Protectors: Now Working to save Wisconsin and Michigan Waters You can read more about the Aquifer issues in: My Birthday Blog Post… to the US Army Corps
Test Samples from Mississippi Headwaters in Clearwater County
Enbridge said in their Line 3 application to Minnesota there was a “Potential for inadvertent release of drilling fluids” and continued through the permitting process to submit evidence that the risk was “Low” at rivers like Mississippi.
Enbridge’s own documents (full of mis-statements and deception) point to the MPCA… “ā¢ According to the MPCA, release of drilling fluid is not unexpected.” {suddently they’re the experts on HDD???} instead of giving you the truth… which Enbridge knows… that frac-outs are common and expected.
Yet, even, prior to construction – during the boring process – samples taken to determine the geology of the route made clear that spills of drilling mud were common.Ā That is not a LOW risk… but appears to be an assurance frac-outs would occur during HDD for the pipeline.
Slide from an HDD presentation by a MN Geologist to state agencies and lawmakers ~ December 10, 2021
Imagine the increase in losses for, not a small diameter boring hole but a 36″ diameter pipeline drilling 60′ below Mississippi… Now you have an idea of what is “potentially” in our landscape at theĀ Headwaters in the aftermath of Enbridge.
And, moving to the clear human impacts here along the Corridor, from those faced by local citizens… to Indigenous women, who face a 10X higher risk of assault, including rape.
This story covers the frac-out experience from the perspective of a friend of mine who I refer to as “the lady at the second Mississippi crossing” while I’m the “lady” at the first. She lives on land at the crossing near Palisade, MN. Her family has been here for generations.
I personally know dozens of women who have been brutalized along this construction route. Maybe the most disturbing case to hit the public news was a woman who was raped in Bemidji outside a bar. The rapist was released on bail and… when they sent his trial notice, it came back from Idaho undeliverable. So he’s still out there somewhere. This is Enbridgeland.
The most disturbing story shared to me was of a friend brutally beaten and raped with chunks of her hair being torn from her scalp. She’s Native though. So we’ll likely never see justice for the men who raped and beat her. It’s a different system of justice for Native women than white women up here. This is why you may be familiar with the term MMIW, as, in recent years, Minnesota has finally created an office to deal with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Sorry if this is too much. My own marriage is struggling and this feels largely due to the trauma imposed by the Enbridge pipeline in our backyard. The treads on the timber matting road sound like military tanks rolling through… and the devastation they leave is worse than that feeling. My life has been consumed by working to protect the land and water, and Dan has struggled to watch as he’s unable to stop the attacks on women and the devastation to the land. It’s hard for a man in this country to live with being unable to protect those he loves. It seems to be destroying him. It’s devastated us both.
Adding Covid to the mix didn’t help. Enbridge rejoiced as they were able to work largely unimpeded or unseen by locals, who were locked down in their homes while Enbridge workers ran amok. […all except that crazy lady in her back yard who filmed most of their work there!]
Our covid case counts and deaths along the corridor were higher than necessary because the state of Minnesota would not consider the pipeline work to be unnecessary – and delay it until after the pandemic surge. Thousands of pipeline workers from places like Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, Michigan, North Dakota, Idaho, Arkansas… converged on Minnesota likely hurting our overall Covid performance and bringing more death locally. How much lower could these middle and third waves have been – as they correlate to the times Enbridge came (October-2021 through March-2021 & June-2021 thru October-2021).
Many felt this was another piece of the genocide as Natives were at far higher risk for Coronavirus and this pipeline runs straight through the heart of Indian Country.
Though you all know the horrors of Covid far better than I do. Dealing with infrastructure changes like plastic panels was the least of it I’m guessing. Figuring out how to do your work – IN PPL’S MOUTHS, no less! WOW. More though, I’m guessing, was the living in fear each day as you wondered if you’d be exposed… get really sick… or, worse, carry the disease to someone you love. This has been a horror of wondering and waiting… and it feels we’re all still recovering – maybe we will be for years yet?
I know I missed most of that foregoing my cleanings for so long. And my teeth suffered, though perhaps more from the trauma of living in a pipeline construction zone, being rumbled from bed by heavy equipment day after day, watching them clear cut the forest you love. That trauma has been key in my own physical deterioration. I can only imagine how hard it’s been for those less fortunate than us.
Not sure if you realized but one of the original corridors of consideration for Enbridge’s Line 3 replacement pipeline was along I-94. Could have brought those promised “Minnesota jobs” to Alexandrians… so I guess you guys lucked out on that one? Cold comfort when you come here and see the impacts. Thousands of trees have been culled from the landscape. I’ve heard from ppl along the corridor that their vacationing/cabin neighbors and visitors to Lake Country have been pretty astounded to see some of the changes. And we still have equipment present near Fond du Lac.
Thanks again for all your good work. You guys Suck the Best!! ;D This eyetooth is still a bitĀ sensitive this morning so I’ll keep an eye on it. Maybe that’s normal for a few days? Looking forward to seeing y’all again in May.Ā And if anyone you know is interested, send my info to them as I’m always glad to help educate people about what Enbridge and other polluters are working to bring to Minnesota.Ā
Huber Frontier Mill in Cohasset seems the next big unnecessary debacle… a new OSB plant built a few miles down the road from an existing OSB plant that’s closing… again, screwing over the Native Nations in our fair state (the tree take circle includes most of the Reservation lands here). And… wait for it… MN taxpayers forking over $80M to help it happen!
This time, the decision was made – not by a state agency but a CITY COUNCIL – with NO Environmental Impact Statement! AND without public input allowed at the vote… though MANY had shown up to have their voices heard that day! WTF? There goes our Democracy???
It’s really getting scary how government is working to sell off our state resources as fast as they can… this time, more of our Tree Nation.
I’ll end with another of my favorite Heywood Banks selections… this one is pretty appropriate for the above rantings?
It is TROUBLING that the Army Corps of Engineers are considering another Enbridge project in the precious watery lands of the Northern Midwest. It seems Enbridge is at war with the U.S. Midwest as they continue to TRENCH through our lands and make plans for further devastating invasions of our most precious and beautiful landscapes.
My only hope is for you to deny their application as their new route does not meet the requirement of the Bad River Band – to move the pipeline from the watershed – and it does not protect Lake Superior. Instead, it only threatens MORE of the natural beauty and resources (some of us call them relatives) of Northern Wisconsin as it REMAINS a threat to the watershed of one of the largest remaining freshwater sources in the world – Gichi-gami.
It is BAFFLING to this engineer (University of Cincinnati Metallurgical Engineering ’91) that you guys at the USACE seem unable to find a way to comprehend that the time for fossil fuel development is OVER.
HOW ON EARTH, with the events happening all over the globe, including horrifically worse outcomes and damages than in previous decades, costing individuals/companies/towns/cities/states/nations and corporations billions more each year, as our planet seems on the brink of tipping past a point of no return on protecting our atmosphere for human habitation, can you all not seemingly find yourselves able to DENY FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? Is this the time you finally will? Can you awaken to the reality around you?
Are you not seeing the preciousness of water – now a commodity on Wall Street?
Is that the problem for you all in recognizing the inherent gift of Water’s existence – as the SOURCE OF ALL LIFE – that humans have now named Her a “commodity”? If so, you ignore this truth to your own peril. And to the peril of your children. And theirs.
Allowing Enbridge to pursue ANY PROJECTS WHATSOEVER after the STAGGERING DAMAGES that Minnesotans are only NOW learning about from our Department of Natural Resources seems a sure way to continue destroying, NOT PROTECTING, our natural resources.
Clean land, water, and air on which all humans depend. These are the things that ought be protected. And based on Enbridge’s rushed construction and poor performance to promises made in Minnesota, ANY PROJECT they submit requires refusal, at a BARE MINIMUM, until they can clean up the messes from their latest pipeline re-route.
Just in time to submit for your consideration… here’s what we’re seeing in Minnesota today:
As you can see in this screenshot above, I cannot yet bring myself to open the LaSalle Crossing document. THE EXACT LOCATION PAUL STOLEN Retiree of MNDNR TESTIFIED WAS THE WORST PLACE FOR A TAR SANDS PIPELINE (see page 40 in the link).
My own video documentation of the concerns throughout the project depict issue after issue, capturing the dangers. We documented the real time response by Enbridge to a potentially fatal incident in LaSalle Valley in this video: Enbridge Line 3: Equipment In Icy Water at LaSalle Creek Wetlands – filmed 2/6/2020, when an Enbridge worker – again, unfamiliar with our landscape – found himself submerged in his own equipment, his co-workers unable to free him, requiring the destruction of a beaver dam to relieve the water levels so he could be pulled to safety. At least he didn’t die, like this worker, killed days into the Enbridge Line 3 project. Enbridge talks a big game but in reality, their attention to safety lacks real substance when it’s applied on-site.
IT IS NOT AS IF WE HAVE NOT WARNED of these dangers.
This newly reported breach in the LaSalle Valley is just 7.5 miles down the corridor from my backyard where the Enbridge Line 93 (‘New’ Line 3) sits – a danger to me every day. The Clearbrook Aquifer breach is 23.8 miles back toward Canada as the crow flies. So here I sit, in between, horrified that the agencies and government representatives that are charged to protect our land and water have either 1) shirked their duties to responsible and thorough review… or 2) been duped or motivated by Enbridge ideology or money to move ahead in SPITE of the science and the missions demanding Enbridge permits be denied.
Any decision to permit this Line 5 re-route will find you culpable for destroying this landscape. Will YOU take that accountability? If you are a decision-maker, IT IS YOURS, whether you deny it or not.
As with the approval of Line 3 – ALL WE TRIBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES WARNED… has come to pass. Time will tell what criminal and civil liabilities result. Though it does seem the decisions are coming in more and more for Tribes and for Mother Earth these days… so, approve at your own risk?
This is just ONE of THREE KNOWN Aquifer Ruptures resulting from Enbridge’s LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TERRAIN:
As is clear in the BOLD video, the DNR was ill-prepared for the mismatch in promises made and the reality Enbridge delivered in monitoring and reporting during construction… a dichotomy that truly revealed Enbridge’s practices in prevarication.
What do you think this bodes for Wisconsin?
Aquifer breaches were one kind of risk Water Protectors all along the Enbridge corridor were working to prevent. And, today, our suspicions of Enbridge damages were validated… AGAIN…11/10/21 Enbridge at Work: Mississippi Headwaters and LaSalle Valleys as we see the LaSalle Valley containing one of the THREE aquifer breaches by Enbridge. [3:24 into the video, I call the aquifer breach on 11/10/2021 – though we didn’t hear anything on it from our state agency reps until… TODAY! ]
The USACE should find any application/documentation/plan submitted by Enbridge to be suspect for falsehoods and rife with thoughtlessness for natural beings and the natural world. For this reason alone, at a minimum, documentation should require as much detail as possible to hold Enbridge accountable to standards, and should include as many borings as possible to assure Enbridge has sufficient data to understand the landscape in which they plan to work.
There must be allowances for rescinding any and all permits when violations are discovered. As was seen in the Aquifer Breach in Clearbrook, Enbridge CLEARLY LIED in reports to the state DNR. THIS DISCOVERY in mid-June, should have allowed ALL permits for the construction to STOP CONSTRUCTION for the project. Perhaps if it had, we’d not see the devastation we have now in Minnesota?
It’s not only State Agencies, but Federal folks like the USACE that are required to be accountable to their missions in reviewing risks and determining if projects are helpful or harmful to the people and the land. The dangers presented by Enbridge are too high to risk as we move into the future.
THIS PROJECT MUST BE DENIED.
THE RISKS ARE TOO HIGH.
Please assure my comments, with functional links appear in your public dockets, file management systems, and other places where the public at large can use them to understand the risks of this proposed re-route of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline in the Lake Superior watershed.
Thank you for your consideration.
Jami Gaither Enbridge Line 93 Abutter Clearwater County, Minnesota
How screwed up is a species that allows the destruction of forests and water bodies for the creation of a tar sands pipeline? So screwed up they’ll also allow the destruction of the Boundary Waters for a nickel or copper mine? And so addicted to oil they will allow a CO2 pipeline, full of gas that can kill in minutes, to be built… only so ‘enhanced oil recovery’ can continue… thus further poisoning the atmosphere with carbon?
All this with no accountability for cleaning up our messes?
Interior’s analysis found there are more than 130,000 documented orphaned wells in the United States — far more than the 56,600 tallied in a report by the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission in 2019. Many more wells exist that were drilled before regulators began requiring documentation in the mid-1900s.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are more than 3 million total abandoned oil and gas wells. About 2 million of those are estimated to be very old and never properly plugged. The agency believes such wells are responsible for most of the methane emitted from abandoned wells.
When will enough be enough? When we obliterate the very sources of life itself? Clean land, air, and water? When the last fish has been eaten? The last tree culled?
This is how screwed up: Around the world, humans are struggling to survive raging wild fires, flooding, tornados, ice storms… and all these in unexpected places and/ot during atypical times.. Yet, as our systems are failing, we continue… business as usual.
But there is a better way.
The aquifer breach Enbridge created almost a year ago now, is a calamity that should never have happened. Had there been proper oversight by the state agencies, the many problems created in our lands during the building of Enbridge’s new Line 3 might never have occurred. (Enbridge named this new pipeline “Line 93”.)
If agencies had bothered listening to those of us warning of the dangers, especially of believing Enbridge lies, perhaps they would have denied this project and our trees would still be standing.
Or, if the DNR hadn’t given Enbridge the benefit of the doubt, trusted them to be forthcoming, trusted their “independent” environmental monitors (almost half of whom are previous Enbridge employees!?!?!) to be unbiased observers. If they’d visited the work sites more or even simply bothered to READ the reports on the project, we might have avoided these issues? Had they bothered to look at this land, and realize this is no place for a tar sands pipeline from the beginning, we would not have drilling mud embedded at so many rivers across Minnesota and ww could have avoided this year of dewatering at this aquifer breach in Clearwater County. So many failures of the DNR.
Perhaps their mission should have been a red flag? With its focus on “commercial use” of our land, air, and waters, perhaps they for the part that says, “in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life”? As we hear often, and seems more evident every day, it’s all about the Benjamins?
The mission of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is to work with Minnesotans to conserve and manage the state’s natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life.
[This soooo reminds me of that question I asked DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen back in 2019 around what her department does besides simply keep an account of who is buying all our natural resources.]
As the DNR protocols to evaluate projects showed a failure to fact check the inputs by Enbridge, which might have saved so much, had it been done. DNR has not been cautious. They have seemingly colluded with Enbridge to allow continued construction… even when it was discovered Enbridge had completely violated their construction permit. And failed to report it for months!
So what can they do now? The DNR can come clean on why they allowed such egregious violations to go without repercussions to the applicant. They can open their processes to public scrutiny and engage with Native and scientific voices to assure our natural resources are protected, not just sold off to the most readily available bidders.
It’s time. If ever there was a time for action, it is now. As we are observing the exponential changes in weather, climate, and risks… all of which mean more losses and more costs with a business as usual approach.
Let’s change the systems that currently decide our future. The lawsuit filed by Mark Toso against the MPCA gives hope that some from our Agencies are courageous enough to challenge the current culture.
Let’s hold them accountable and assure this kind of atrocity NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
Since we don’t really celebrate many typical holidays here at the HARN, last Thursday we decided to head up to the Enbridge Terminal Aquifer Breach in Clearbrook. Here’s what we found:
I’m wondering if you can answer some of my questions regarding the continued concerns we have along the Enbridge Corridor.
While I’ve been reaching out to the MPCA’s reported Tribal Liaison, I’ve had no response.
As an abutter to the project, who’s been working with my friends, including many Native women leaders, for years now… to stop this project through Indian country, I was hopeful that my that my questions would matter to the MPCA and would get response.
Perhaps you can tell me what, if anything, is being done to address the frac-out conditions that appear to be still rising in the Mississippi Headwaters River Valley here? The beavers have noted it and are working to mitigate.
11-10-21 Photo of Mizi-Ziibi with Miskwaabiimizh from Amik (Mississippi River with Red Willow from Beaver)
They, Amikwag, seem the only ones doing anything about our environmental concerns along Line 3, or Line 93, as Enbridge had dubbed their new project, as is evidence by the Red Willow (Miskwaabiimizh) being placed in the flow of Misi-ziibi just downstream of the pipeline crossing.
Let me know if you have any answers regarding the ongoing disturbances to our flora and fauna along this project, which continues to gain attention… especially as Enbridge continues to be ever present in our neighborhoods up here in Clearwater County.
Just yesterday we saw a large Precision Pipeline semi trundling past the house mid-afternoon.
Maybe you can tell me what is happening in the forests and wetlands near my home?
Thanks for your consideration. āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā
While prior to construction the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was given less attention than the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (as the agency responsible for the 401 Clean Water Permit), it seems the DNR and MPCA have now switched places with the DNR getting most of the attention and the MPCA getting little.
Not that paying attention to the DNR construction permits would have made a difference… because Enbridge willfully violated those permits in their actions that burst open the Aquifer at the Clearbrook terminal.
But the lack of oversight was clear from both Agencies.
Both Agencies failed to stop this project when, by all rights, they should have.
Problem is… no Minnesota State Agency appears to have wanted to stop the Project.
The story most telling of their unwillingness to stop the Project goes way back to February 5th of last year, almost 2 years ago now.
A group of Minnesota scientists – including retirees from both MDNR & MPCA as well as Healthcare Professionals for Healthy Climate (HP4HC) and Science for the People – Twin Cities (SftP), joined Indigenous Leaders from RISE Coalition and Honor the Earth, along with state non-profit groups (Sierra Club & MN350), along with legal and spiritual representation, to FINALLY meet with MPCA staff to discuss how they could work to deny the 401 permit for the tar sands pipeline project – opposed by all these groups.
The arrival at the MPCA that morning was different from other times we’d visited the MPCA for meetings. While many of the representatives had traveled hours from Northern Minnesota, hoping to, as usual, gather in the cafeteria for refreshment and review prior to our meeting, the desk staff refused us entry. The first members of our group were two young white men, one representing MN350 and one Honor the Earth. Others of us – still on the road – were contacted for help and we reached out to MPCA staff to determine what the problem might be. On arrival of my caravan, which included retired MPCA staff, two citizens who live along the Enbridge route, and a pastor (all white), and following some additional discussion, we were eventually led back to the cafeteria by an MPCA staffer.
To show the level of concern and fear of Minnesota Citizens in our Agencies, then-Commissioner Laura Bishop came personally to the cafeteria to explain, “they thought you might be protesters.”
She apologized and left us to our lunch. It was only in hindsight that we’d realize why they may have been so touchy… as they were readying a weapon that aimed to derail the public… and it was just about to launch.
On arrival to the MPCA conference room, we were welcomed and seated. And then came the moment of truth for me in this campaign, the moment that I realized how FUCKED we were when it came to the MPCA.
Commissioner Bishop came into the room as the meeting began and gleefully announced that, AS WE SPOKE [Oh, boy!], the MPCA had just issued a memo noting…
wait for it….
The MPCA had Issued a Draft APPROVAL for Enbridge’s draft 401 permit!
All I could think, as this bombshell exploded was: Why. THE. FUCK. Are WE even HERE? If the decision had already been made by the Agency?
Just another in the short list of “let’s pretend we’re gonna listen to the Water Protectors” meetings that were never intended to truly hear us. Instead, we were left to work on how to make the public hearings as ROBUST for Public Comment as possible. [Though it would later become clear, that testimony would also be largely ignored by the MPCA.]
Peter Tester, who became Commissioner temporarily when Laura resigned the following summer (on the cusp of being fired by the Senate, and likely to assure she could be placed AGAIN in a position of influence, which dismissal by the Senate would preclude) made a couple big promises that day, neither of which were fulfilled. 1) To review and consider any documentation we could provide to show why the permit should not be granted. 2) To be accountable to us.
Since that meeting, one of the VERY FEW given to Minnesota citizens hoping to Stop the unnecessary Enbridge pipeline project, all that we’ve seen from the MPCA and DNR has been failure.
1) Failure to WATCH Enbridge as they worked on one of the largest infrastructure projects to not benefit Minnesota that has ever crossed the state.
2) Failure to pull permits when Enbridge violations were discovered.
There are many places the states agencies failed us and a few of the most egregious during construction were:
Enbridgeās frac-out into the Mississippi River at the second crossing. 6000-9000 gallons of drilling mud frac-out into Misi-ziibi… DURING A PERIOD WHEN DRILLING WAS RESTRICTED FROM HAPPENING! [June 25th – violating the April 1- June 30 restriction period.] This was the first of frac-outs that occurring in Mississippi River. [MPCA FAILURE]
July frac-outs into Misi-ziibi Headwaters at the first crossing, where frac-out materials were left in the wetlands and, to this day, continue to show presence in the River Valley. [MPCA FAILURE]
Unbeknownst to citizens, until the mid-September notice, Enbridge willfully violated their construction permit, not informing the DNR of an aquifer breach for almost 5 months! Even though the DNR knew of the problems and it’s effects by early July, no notice was given to citizens for TWO MORE MONTHS… as Enbridge construction continued along the remainder of their corridor. [MDNR FAILURE]
I ask AGAIN: IF THESE PERMITS ARE NOT ALLOWING US TO STOP PROJECTS THAT VIOLATE THEM, WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?
And now we see: 1) A lack of work to remedy failures to the 401 permit on the frac-out concerns that remain.
2) Continued and apparently failing work by Enbridge to remedy the KNOWN Aquifer Breach in Clearbrook. TEN (10) full months since it happened now! LONGER THAN IT TOOK TO BUILD 337 MILES of Tar Sands Pipeline across our state… which was apparently the priority to remedying the aquifer breach threatening fragile calcareous fens. [FFS. If this doesn’t awaken people to the State’s priorities, will anything? (see more on that at the end of the blog…)]
3) No public transparency to the other two Breaches reportedly in existence per the DNR.
As we saw with COP26, our Agencies and “Leaders” are failing us. Not just here in Minnesota, but around the world, as they appear bound to helping their fossil fuel friends continue to destroy our planetary home.
Want to read more on the forest devastation being driven by our fossil fueled world? Check this out.
Want to read more on groups working to hold the Minnesota DNR accountable? Check out this recent blog post from Agate‘s Stephanie Hemphill.
Update: Received a response from Ms. Kuskie on 11/30/21 (after I re-requested a response):
Hi Jami,
Apologies for the delayed response, I was out of office last week. Though primary construction of the line is generally complete, the MPCA continues to review monitoring information and oversee ongoing work, and the independent environmental monitors are still active. HDD work, where pressurized drilling mud was in use, ended in early August, and the MPCA made available information on the āfrac outsā reported to us around that time. I apologize for being unable to provide further detail at this time; Minn Stat 13.39 classifies as non-public data related to active investigations.
Thanks for reaching out last week and for sending me a nudge today.
-melissa
Response – or should I say Non-response… from Ms. Kuskie 11/30/21 13:26
Apparently, the public doesn’t need to know anything.
Last Wednesday, November 10th, I was called out to the Mississippi Headwaters River Valley as someone noted there was an “Enbridge Emergency Response” truck on Clearwater County 40. I headed out with the camera to see what I could capture.
As I passed the bridge over Misi-ziibi, orange construction signs, not seen in use for weeks or perhaps even a month, were up along The Great River Road denoting “Road Work Ahead”, “Be Prepared to Stop”, and “Flagger Ahead”. The Access Road that heads into the ridge that divides the Mississippi Headwaters River Valley and the LaSalle Valley was open. [There was also a new culvert installed at this entry (a previous video captured a team working on the crushed culvert weeks earlier).] I saw no trucks entering, save the standard white pick-ups, though Ron Turney reported multiple trucks entering and leaving the Access Road when I ran into him later in the morning in the Mississippi River Valley.
Here’s his drone photo showing activity in the area inside this Access Road, just east of the Mississippi River Crossing along the Line 93 corridor.
I headed out to review the area and see if there were other trucks in the region, perhaps coming out from the LaSalle Access Road on 105th street. And, as is not unusual, I happened upon a Precision Pipeline pump truck coming down 105th just south of the Access Road into LaSalle Creek .
Ron Turney’s photo is at the area of short timber road as shown above and the red star is the location of the Precision Pipeline Pump Truck sighting, just south of the timber matting Access Road into County Land a bit north of the Line 93 corridor crossing.
Though Enbridge has been crowing about its “New Line 3” being COMPLETED (now named Line 93 based on the corridor markers), the fact that Enbridge and Precision trucks are back in the neighborhood does NOT seem to indicate everything is “COMPLETED”.
Two breaches are within 8 and 25 miles of me; the third is near a friend’s house on Nagaajiwanaang / Fond du Lac Reservation (the breach is just off Reservation land). So many suffered here this summer. Wells drying up… So many who had to truck in water… Well, that’s just PART of the story. 
It’s devastated us both.
That trauma has been key in my own physical deterioration. I can only imagine how hard it’s been for those less fortunate than us.
again, screwing over the Native Nations in our fair state (the tree take circle includes most of the Reservation lands here). And… wait for it… 
MN taxpayers forking over $80M to help it happen! 
WTF? There goes our Democracy??? 
THE EXACT LOCATION 
Retired at 45 