10 Things You Need to Know about the Line 3 Pipeline
[ http://canadians.org/blog/10-things-you ... 3-pipeline ]
March 17, 2017 - 3:20 pm
The University of Winnipeg Students Association hosted a fantastic event on the Line 3 pipeline on March 11th. It featured inspiring speakers Winona Laduke, environmentalist and economist from Honor the Earth, as well as Joelle Pastora Sala and Allison Fenske, counsel to the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs regarding Line 3 Judicial Review. Line 3 is an export pipeline proposed by Enbridge which would run from Hardisty, Alberta through Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the States. Drawing mostly from these wonderful presentations, we can gather 10 key points about the Line 3 pipeline.
The problem with Line 3
1. Instead of Trump’s pipeline plans, let’s imagine the Sitting Bull Plan from the Chief at Standing Rock
What would the Sitting Bull Plan look like? Winona Laduke encourages us: “Let us put our minds together for the future of our children”.
In response to Trump’s "Make America Great Again", Winona explains that America was great; with 8,000 varieties of corn, 50 million buffalo, when there were no drinking water advisories and people could drink and swim in the lakes and rivers. America is still great in some ways; we need to reaffirm the covenant to protect water.
2. Enbridge spills are among the worst in history and the pipeline could bring major risks to water.
Many people know about the massive Kalamazoo spill. Less known is the spill in 1991 which spilled 1.3 million gallons.
Line 3 has its own history of spills, noted by Megan Linton, from Pipeline Free, a group who came together when Trudeau approved the Kinder Morgan and Line 3 pipelines, including 20 000 barrels spilled in 1999 East of Regina, an explosion in 2007 in Minnesota where 2 workers were killed, and 4000 barrels spilled in 2010 in North Dakota.
3. We’re not against pipelines, some pipelines that bring water to our communities are great! Oil pipelines, not so much.
Winona Laduke explains that she is not opposed to pipelines! Some water pipelines are great, she wishes there were more communities with inadequate infrastructure for drinking water. Flint Michigan needs pipelines!
4. Line 3 is a massive project that is actually an expansion, not just a replacement.
Allison Fensky, legal counsel for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, points out that Line 3 is the largest project in Enbridge’s history. Enbridge’s plan is to build a new pipeline of 36 inches in diametre, the same size as Keystone, so that it could carry both light and heavy oil.
Opposition is building
5. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs launched a legal challenge against it based not only on concerns with the pipeline, but also because it is a fundamentally an unfair process.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) has launched a legal challenge against Line 3 which was granted January 31st, and their expected hearing date is in early 2018. The AMC finds that the National Energy Board process is flawed, and is failing to hear them, including no cross-examinations and only meeting in a colonial space rather than coming to turtle lodge.
6. Elders and Indigenous knowledge keepers are concerned about Line 3
Joelle Pastora Sala, Legal counsel from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, explains that their position comes from elders and knowledge keepers who came together at Turtle Lodge to draft Ogichi Tibakonigaywin, Kihche’othasowewin, Tako Wakan: The Great Binding Law which shares that mother earth is sacred and that we all have a responsibility to care for her. Elders are concerned about the impact of Line 3 on the earth, as well as that Line 3 would harm relations between Indigenous Peoples and the crown.
7. The economics of Line 3 don’t work - governments are approving pipelines that we don’t have oil for
Winona cited a Globe and Mail article that explained that in approving Trans Mountain, Line 3, and Keystone, there actually is not enough oil for these pipelines. Why is the government investing billions on stranded assets, when so many communities don’t have adequate drinking water? By 2025, due to climate policy, there will be no further growth in the tar sands.
Shell recently sold its stake in Alberta’s tar sands. Of the top 3 U.S. oil companies, profits went from 80.4$ billion in 2011 to 16.3$ billion in 2015 to 3.7 billion in 2016.
8. Line 3 is part of an unhealthy extreme energy addiction we can overcome
Winona compares our the extreme use of fossil fuels to an addiction, whereby we know the consequences are harmful, but they continue to be extracted, with companies going to increasingly extreme measures to get oil from the ground like with tar sands extraction and fracking.
I think about the impacts of fossil fuels on climate change and increasing extreme weather events. I think about what the UN has warned is the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945 with millions of people in African countries, with drought making matters much worse.
9. This is part of a movement against fossil fuels, building on standing rock
Thank you to the land defenders who stood up against fossil fuel development and to protect the earth in standing rock. Winona and Honor the Earth were among the groups at Standing Rock. Enbridge invested in what Winona refers to as the Dakota Excess Pipeline at Standing Rock whereby the civil rights of water protectors were violated, including with the use of rubber bullets, dogs, and other intimidation tactics.
Progress is possible!
10. Hope for progress lies in renewable energy and re-localizing food
Winona reminds us that while governments are approving pipelines like Line 3, people’s movements are powerful and it’s possible to stop pipelines and protect the earth. She points to her community which successfully stopped Enbridge’s proposed Sandpiper pipeline which would have run through her territory.
It was incredibly inspiring to see a map of renewable energy projects happening around the Line 3 pipeline route. The map was only for the states. What could this look like for Canada? What renewable energy projects are being built and could be built as an alternative to unsustainable fossil fuels pipelines? It was extremely
inspiring to see Winona and her community leading by example with their very own solar panel project near her home.
Let’s do this!
Brigette DePape's blog
Prairies-NWT regional organizer
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brigette-depape ]
LINE 3: 10 Things You Need to Know about the Line 3 Pipeline
3 posts
• Page 1 of 1
LINE 3: 10 Things You Need to Know about the Line 3 Pipeline
by Oscar » Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:30 pm
- Oscar
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Re: LINE 3: 10 Things You Need to Know about the Line 3 Pipe
by Oscar » Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:31 am
Native American fight against Trudeau-backed Line 3 pipeline set to intensify
[ https://canadians.org/blog/native-ameri ... -intensify ]
December 20, 2016 - 8:39 am
On November 29, the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his approval of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, he also announced his government's approval of the lesser-known 760,000 barrel per day Enbridge Line 3 pipeline.
The approval of the Calgary-based Enbridge Line 3 pipeline means the building of 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and will now be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The CBC has reported, "Line 3 already has presidential approval, but the replacement project must undergo separate permitting processes in the U.S. [including in Minnesota where there is significant opposition] before construction can begin." Enbridge wants to replace the entire pipeline by December 2017.
Now Argus Media reports, "Enbridge's $7.5bn plan to replace its aging Line 3 crude pipeline has avoided the limelight of other projects, like Energy Transfer's Dakota Access pipeline or TransCanada's Keystone XL. But that may soon change. Fresh off a successful effort to delay the [Dakota Access pipeline], Native American and environmental groups are working to thwart plans for the [Line 3] pipeline. The proposed new route crosses grasslands in Minnesota and could threaten downstream waterways and violate treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather crops, including wild rice, opponents contend."
The article highlights, "Several tribes, which include Ojibwe groups, also known as Chippewa, have harvested wild rice in the region since the mid-1700s, a staple crop of significant spiritual and cultural value. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Executive Committee said in a 30 November resolution that the US Army Corps of Engineers should develop new permitting processes under the Clean Water Act for wild rice waters."
Winona LaDuke has commented, “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of protecting our sacred manoomin (wild rice) which is at the root of our cultural and spiritual ways of life with mother earth we call bimaadiziwin, living our life in a good way." Kevin Lee, an attorney with the Minnesota Centre for Environmental Advocacy, says, "The new route travels through a rich water environment and over some of the state's most pristine land." And Frank Bibeau, a member of the Chippewa tribe and an attorney for Honor the Earth, says, "We will be trying to kill off their project every day."
The Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the Line 3 pipeline, as has the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. The heavy oil pipeline would pass nearby Regina and Brandon, communities where the Council of Canadians has chapters.
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog.
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
= = = =
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to challenge Enbridge Line 3 pipeline approval in Federal Court
[ http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/brent-p ... -3-pipelin ]
By Brent Patterson | January 3, 2017
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is challenging the Trudeau government's approval of the Line 3 pipeline.
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak has posted on Facebook:
"Today our legal team has filed an appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal to challenge the approval of the Enbridge Line 3 replacement expansion project. Many thanks to the good people at the public interest law centre for working with us over Christmas to get this in on time..!!"
On November 29, the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his approval of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, he also announced his government's approval of the lesser-known 760,000 barrel per day Enbridge Line 3 pipeline.
If not stopped, the approval of the Calgary-based Enbridge Line 3 pipeline would mean the building of 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000-barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrels of diluted bitumen per day and would have the capacity to do so for the next 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year. Enbridge wants to replace the entire pipeline by December 2017.
In November 2015, Nepinak commented:
"Implementing the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] and the UNDRIP [United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples] would require a consultation protocol outside of the National Energy Board (NEB) process on the matters of Energy East and the Line 3 Replacement in the northern Plains (Treaty 1-11 territories). As it stands now, the only communities who are able to participate in the NEB consultation are the ones who can front the costs of participation in the hearings on a limited cost recovery budget. This means that if you don't have the money to pay for consultation, you don't get any consultation."
It was left to eight highly respected Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho (Cree) and Dakota Elders to invite National Energy Board members, government, industry, and the public to an Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers Gathering at Turtle Lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba in late November 2015 to share statements about Line 3.
The Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have also expressed concerns about the Line 3 pipeline.
The CBC has reported, "Line 3 already has presidential approval, but the replacement project must undergo separate permitting processes in the U.S. [including in Minnesota where there is significant opposition] before construction can begin." And Argus Media has highlighted:
"Fresh off a successful effort to delay the [Dakota Access pipeline], Native American and environmental groups are working to thwart plans for the [Line 3] pipeline. The proposed new route crosses grasslands in Minnesota and could threaten downstream waterways and violate treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather crops, including wild rice, opponents contend."
That article notes:
"Several tribes, which include Ojibwe groups, also known as Chippewa, have harvested wild rice in the region since the mid-1700s, a staple crop of significant spiritual and cultural value. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Executive Committee said in a 30 November resolution that the US Army Corps of Engineers should develop new permitting processes under the Clean Water Act for wild rice waters."
Winona LaDuke has commented, "I cannot emphasize enough the importance of protecting our sacred manoomin (wild rice) which is at the root of our cultural and spiritual ways of life with mother earth we call bimaadiziwin, living our life in a good way." Kevin Lee, an attorney with the Minnesota Centre for Environmental Advocacy, says, "The new route travels through a rich water environment and over some of the state's most pristine land." And Frank Bibeau, a member of the Chippewa tribe and an attorney for Honor the Earth, says, "We will be trying to kill off their project every day."
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog.
- - -
Brent Patterson is the Political Director at the Council of Canadians. He works with the Council's chairperson Maude Barlow, its campaigners, organizers and chapters across the country on trade, energy, water, and health care issues. The Council has political staff in Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Halifax, Delhi, Cape Town and Mexico City. You can follow Brent on Twitter @CBrentPatterson.
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Quill Plains (Wynyard) chapter concerned Line 3 pipeline threatens the Qu’Appelle Watershed
[ https://canadians.org/blog/quill-plains ... -watershed ]
March 6, 2017 - 10:51 pm
(MAP) The Council of Canadians Quill Plains (Wynyard) chapter in Saskatchewan is opposed to the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
On November 29, 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government's approval of the 760,000 barrel per day pipeline.
If not stopped, the Calgary-based Enbridge Line 3 pipeline would mean the building of 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrels of diluted bitumen per day and would have the capacity to do so for the next 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year. Enbridge wants to replace the entire pipeline by December 2017.
Water concerns
The Qu'Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) will be discussing at their monthly meeting (on 8 March) new information on how the pipeline will impact the Qu’Appelle Watershed. [ http://qvea.ca/campaigns.html ]
The QVEA says, "[The pipeline] will crisscross fourteen of our watercourses, including our major rivers – tunneling under the South Saskatchewan River, south of Outlook, and under the Qu’Appelle River, near Bethune."
The CBC adds, "The proposed new route [in the United States] crosses grasslands in Minnesota and could threaten downstream waterways and violate treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather crops, including wild rice, opponents contend."
Pipeline spills
The CBC also notes, "In 1999, Line 3 ruptured near Pilot Butte, east of Regina, releasing more than 20,000 barrels of heavy crude oil."
The QVEA adds, "Husky Oil’s 250,000 litre oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River in 2016 made us all more aware of the threat that pipelines present to our waterways and to our drinking water. The latest major Saskatchewan spill occurred on January 20th, 2017 on Ocean Man First Nations. This 200,000 litre spill involved a Tundra Energy pipeline, which has no record of ever being inspected. A few weeks later, Tundra Energy had yet another oil spill near Storthoaks, southeast of Regina."
It highlights, "These are just the tip of the iceberg."
Consultation and Indigenous rights
And it notes, "Saskatchewan citizens were never given the opportunity to scrutinize or approve Line 3. It wasn’t debated in our last provincial election; there was never a social license to proceed. There was never consent from indigenous communities."
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs along with the Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the pipeline. The Chippewa in Minnesota have also said they will work to stop the pipeline to protect their sacred manoomin (wild rice).
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog.
Tags: chapters
[ https://canadians.org/tags/chapters ]
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
= = = = =
Minnesota to decide on Trudeau-backed Line 3 tar sands pipeline in April 2018
[ https://canadians.org/blog/minnesota-de ... april-2018 ]
August 17, 2017 - 5:30 pm
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline in November 2016, but a review process is still underway in Minnesota.
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog. The Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have also expressed concerns about the Line 3 pipeline, as has the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. The heavy oil pipeline would pass nearby Regina and Brandon, communities where the Council of Canadians has chapters.
On August 4, Global News reported, "Enbridge says construction is now underway on the Line 3 replacement pipeline in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Suzanne Wilton, a spokesperson for Enbridge, said construction 'kicked off in earnest' at Hardisty, Alta., this week."
The CBC has reported, "Line 3 already has presidential approval, but the replacement project must undergo separate permitting processes in the U.S. [including in Minnesota where there is significant opposition] before construction can begin."
Now the Associated Press reports, "Minnesota regulators on Thursday [August 17] released the final environmental review of Enbridge Energy's proposal to replace its aging Line 3 oil pipeline, which carries Canadian tar sands crude across northern Minnesota to Wisconsin. The review will inform the state Public Utilities Commission as it decides whether the project is needed and what route it should take. The commission is scheduled to decide by Dec. 11 whether the final review meets the legal requirements, and to decide on April 30 whether to give its ultimate approval to the pipeline and its route. Administrative law judges will hold hearings and take more public testimony along the way."
That article adds, "Enbridge's preferred route has drawn opposition because it would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. Native American groups including Honor the Earth, which is led by Winona LaDuke, have threatened mass protests that would echo the fight over the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Reservation in the Dakotas. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project."
Anticipating approval in April 2018, Enbridge expects to have the pipeline in service by the second half of 2019.
The Council of Canadians stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop Line 3.
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Direct actions, #PaddleToProtect & Camp Turtle Island challenge Trudeau-backed Line 3 pipeline
[ https://canadians.org/blog/direct-actio ... 3-pipeline ]
September 1, 2017 - 7:27 pm
#PaddleToProtect
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline in November 2016, but resistance to it being built is growing.
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
Construction on the pipeline has now begun in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, while the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018.
Direct actions in Wisconsin
The Duluth News Tribune reports, "Six people were arrested on trespassing charges [on August 29] after their protest stopped work on a segment of Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline construction in rural Douglas County [in Wisconsin]. People identifying themselves as water protectors shut down heavy equipment operations for a third time in nine days near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border, southwest of Superior. ...The protests were calling for the removal of Line 3. ...[The pipeline] is currently under construction in Canada and Wisconsin, and awaiting the outcome of a review process in Minnesota."
The article adds, "Three of those arrested, who all were between ages 23-38, were listed as being from Cloquet [in Minnesota]; the others were from Michigan, South Dakota and Saskatchewan."
Water protectors also shut down construction on the pipeline in Wisconsin for several hours on August 21.
#PaddleToProtect in Minnesota
The Associated Press has previously reported, "[Line 3] would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. ...The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project."
Tomorrow (September 2) Indigenous youth will complete their 22-day 400 kilometre canoe voyage through the Mississippi headwaters in opposition to the pipeline.
The Stop Line 3 website notes, "This epic journey culminates at the historic Big Sandy Lake [in Minnesota], where hundreds of Ojibwe people died of starvation, exposure, and disease, after the US Government failed to deliver the rations and annuities in 1850. Line 3 threatens the Big Sandy and Flowage watershed, a vital wild rice bed that local communities depend on to this day. The youth have invited local leaders to speak about the urgency of joining together to protect our water."
Water Protector Camp in Minnesota
And Camp Turtle Island has been established at the intersection of County 4 and Highway 113 at the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. Their website notes, "The wild ricing season begins at the end of [August], the camp will be focused on gathering natural foods and medicines before winter comes so that we can feed the local community, the camp, and other water protector camps around the US and Canada."
In Canada
The Qu'Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) in Saskatchewan has stated, "[The Line 3 pipeline] will crisscross fourteen of our watercourses, including our major rivers – tunneling under the South Saskatchewan River, south of Outlook, and under the Qu’Appelle River, near Bethune."
Furthermore, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs along with the Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the pipeline.
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in March 2014 and stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop the pipeline.
#StopLine3
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
= = = = =
Minnesota Department of Commerce rejects Trudeau-approved Line 3 pipeline
[ https://canadians.org/blog/minnesota-de ... 3-pipeline ]
September 11, 2017 - 6:56 pm
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has concluded "that Minnesota would be better off if Enbridge proposed to cease operations of the existing Line 3, without any new pipeline being built." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the construction of the new Line 3 pipeline in November 2016 (at the same time he approved the 890,000 barrel per day Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline).
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Associated Press now reports, "The Minnesota Department of Commerce says Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Instead, the department says it might be better to just shut down the existing line."
Minnesota Public Radio adds, "The state Commerce Department dealt a setback Monday [September 11] to a proposed oil pipeline across northern Minnesota, declaring the environmental and socioeconomic risks of letting Enbridge Energy replace its aging Line 3 pipeline across Minnesota outweigh its 'limited benefits'."
Construction on the pipeline began this summer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, while the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018.
The PUC is accepting public comments over the next few months.
The Associated Press has previously reported, "[Line 3] would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. ...The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project."
In Canada, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs along with the Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the pipeline.
The Qu'Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) in Saskatchewan has stated, "[The Line 3 pipeline] will crisscross fourteen of our watercourses, including our major rivers – tunneling under the South Saskatchewan River, south of Outlook, and under the Qu’Appelle River, near Bethune."
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in March 2014 and stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop the pipeline.
#StopLine3
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Timelines in fight vs TransMountain, Keystone XL, Line 3 and Line 10 pipelines
[ https://canadians.org/blog/timelines-fi ... -pipelines ]
October 7, 2017 - 4:01 pm
(PHOTO: The Council of Canadians protesting the Kinder Morgan project at the Burnaby export terminal, May 2016.)
Now that the Energy East pipeline has been defeated, the Council of Canadians is refocusing its efforts to stop the Kinder Morgan, Keystone XL, Line 3 and Line 10 pipelines. Our overall objective is to win a 100 per cent clean energy economy by 2050.
Added together, the Kinder Morgan pipeline (890,000 barrels per day), Keystone XL (830,000 bpd), Line 3 (760,000 bpd) and Line 10 (73,000 bpd) would represent a flow of 2.55 million barrels a day of carbon intensive heavy oil for a 40-50 year period.
All these pipelines mean a continued expansion of the tar sands, all cross waterways and sources of drinking water, and all cross Indigenous lands and territories without adequate consultation and consent. We believe the Trudeau government is not demonstrating "climate leadership" with its support of these projects.
Now the Canadian Press reports, "It's more vital than ever that three other pipelines to oil export markets proceed as planned in the wake of TransCanada Corp. shelving its Energy East pipeline, says AltaCorp Capital analyst Dirk Lever. Lever says [that] the pipeline transportation system out of Western Canada will remain tight for years."
Canada currently exports about 3.4 million barrels per day of oil to the United States. The article notes that RBC Capital Markets projects tar sands production to increase by 900,000 barrels per day in the next five years. It adds industry experts predict that production could reach 5 million barrels per day by 2030. And it notes that the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says Canada will exceed its current and projected pipeline capacity by 2030 with Energy East now shelved.
Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain (Alberta, British Columbia)
Trudeau approved the Trans Mountain pipeline in November 2016. It is currently being challenged in a Federal Court of Appeal that runs to October 13. Kinder Morgan had intended to begin construction on the pipeline during the first week of September. The British Columbia government has stated that the company cannot begin construction on public lands, but it does have National Energy Board approval to work on private lands, including the Burnaby export terminal. Construction could begin on that terminal at any time. Kinder Morgan wants the pipeline to be in-service by late-2019.
TransCanada Keystone XL (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska)
Both the Trudeau government and Trump administration back the Keystone XL pipeline. TransCanada is currently seeking long-range commitments from oil producers and that will inform its review of the pipeline's viability. The Nebraska Public Service Commission is expected to make a final decision by November 23 on whether to accept or reject a permit for the pipeline or mandate a rerouting of it. TransCanada says it will make its final investment decision in December.
Enbridge Line 3 (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Wisconsin, Minnesota)
The Trudeau government approved this pipeline in November 2016. Construction on the pipeline began this past summer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, while the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018. Enbridge wants the pipeline to be operational by early-2019.
Enbridge Line 10 (Ontario, New York)
The National Energy Board approved 35-kilometres of this pipeline in southern Ontario this past January. Pipelines under 40 kilometres in length do not require Cabinet approval. In late-August, CATCH reported, "Thousands of trees are being cut down across rural Hamilton to make way for the controversial expansion of the Enbridge Line 10 oil export pipeline." Enbridge expects the pipeline to be in service by 2018.
#StopKM #NoKXL #StopLine3 #StopLine10
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
[ https://canadians.org/blog/native-ameri ... -intensify ]
December 20, 2016 - 8:39 am
On November 29, the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his approval of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, he also announced his government's approval of the lesser-known 760,000 barrel per day Enbridge Line 3 pipeline.
The approval of the Calgary-based Enbridge Line 3 pipeline means the building of 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and will now be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The CBC has reported, "Line 3 already has presidential approval, but the replacement project must undergo separate permitting processes in the U.S. [including in Minnesota where there is significant opposition] before construction can begin." Enbridge wants to replace the entire pipeline by December 2017.
Now Argus Media reports, "Enbridge's $7.5bn plan to replace its aging Line 3 crude pipeline has avoided the limelight of other projects, like Energy Transfer's Dakota Access pipeline or TransCanada's Keystone XL. But that may soon change. Fresh off a successful effort to delay the [Dakota Access pipeline], Native American and environmental groups are working to thwart plans for the [Line 3] pipeline. The proposed new route crosses grasslands in Minnesota and could threaten downstream waterways and violate treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather crops, including wild rice, opponents contend."
The article highlights, "Several tribes, which include Ojibwe groups, also known as Chippewa, have harvested wild rice in the region since the mid-1700s, a staple crop of significant spiritual and cultural value. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Executive Committee said in a 30 November resolution that the US Army Corps of Engineers should develop new permitting processes under the Clean Water Act for wild rice waters."
Winona LaDuke has commented, “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of protecting our sacred manoomin (wild rice) which is at the root of our cultural and spiritual ways of life with mother earth we call bimaadiziwin, living our life in a good way." Kevin Lee, an attorney with the Minnesota Centre for Environmental Advocacy, says, "The new route travels through a rich water environment and over some of the state's most pristine land." And Frank Bibeau, a member of the Chippewa tribe and an attorney for Honor the Earth, says, "We will be trying to kill off their project every day."
The Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the Line 3 pipeline, as has the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. The heavy oil pipeline would pass nearby Regina and Brandon, communities where the Council of Canadians has chapters.
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog.
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
= = = =
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to challenge Enbridge Line 3 pipeline approval in Federal Court
[ http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/brent-p ... -3-pipelin ]
By Brent Patterson | January 3, 2017
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is challenging the Trudeau government's approval of the Line 3 pipeline.
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak has posted on Facebook:
"Today our legal team has filed an appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal to challenge the approval of the Enbridge Line 3 replacement expansion project. Many thanks to the good people at the public interest law centre for working with us over Christmas to get this in on time..!!"
On November 29, the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his approval of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, he also announced his government's approval of the lesser-known 760,000 barrel per day Enbridge Line 3 pipeline.
If not stopped, the approval of the Calgary-based Enbridge Line 3 pipeline would mean the building of 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000-barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrels of diluted bitumen per day and would have the capacity to do so for the next 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year. Enbridge wants to replace the entire pipeline by December 2017.
In November 2015, Nepinak commented:
"Implementing the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] and the UNDRIP [United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples] would require a consultation protocol outside of the National Energy Board (NEB) process on the matters of Energy East and the Line 3 Replacement in the northern Plains (Treaty 1-11 territories). As it stands now, the only communities who are able to participate in the NEB consultation are the ones who can front the costs of participation in the hearings on a limited cost recovery budget. This means that if you don't have the money to pay for consultation, you don't get any consultation."
It was left to eight highly respected Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho (Cree) and Dakota Elders to invite National Energy Board members, government, industry, and the public to an Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers Gathering at Turtle Lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba in late November 2015 to share statements about Line 3.
The Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have also expressed concerns about the Line 3 pipeline.
The CBC has reported, "Line 3 already has presidential approval, but the replacement project must undergo separate permitting processes in the U.S. [including in Minnesota where there is significant opposition] before construction can begin." And Argus Media has highlighted:
"Fresh off a successful effort to delay the [Dakota Access pipeline], Native American and environmental groups are working to thwart plans for the [Line 3] pipeline. The proposed new route crosses grasslands in Minnesota and could threaten downstream waterways and violate treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather crops, including wild rice, opponents contend."
That article notes:
"Several tribes, which include Ojibwe groups, also known as Chippewa, have harvested wild rice in the region since the mid-1700s, a staple crop of significant spiritual and cultural value. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Executive Committee said in a 30 November resolution that the US Army Corps of Engineers should develop new permitting processes under the Clean Water Act for wild rice waters."
Winona LaDuke has commented, "I cannot emphasize enough the importance of protecting our sacred manoomin (wild rice) which is at the root of our cultural and spiritual ways of life with mother earth we call bimaadiziwin, living our life in a good way." Kevin Lee, an attorney with the Minnesota Centre for Environmental Advocacy, says, "The new route travels through a rich water environment and over some of the state's most pristine land." And Frank Bibeau, a member of the Chippewa tribe and an attorney for Honor the Earth, says, "We will be trying to kill off their project every day."
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog.
- - -
Brent Patterson is the Political Director at the Council of Canadians. He works with the Council's chairperson Maude Barlow, its campaigners, organizers and chapters across the country on trade, energy, water, and health care issues. The Council has political staff in Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Halifax, Delhi, Cape Town and Mexico City. You can follow Brent on Twitter @CBrentPatterson.
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Quill Plains (Wynyard) chapter concerned Line 3 pipeline threatens the Qu’Appelle Watershed
[ https://canadians.org/blog/quill-plains ... -watershed ]
March 6, 2017 - 10:51 pm
(MAP) The Council of Canadians Quill Plains (Wynyard) chapter in Saskatchewan is opposed to the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
On November 29, 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government's approval of the 760,000 barrel per day pipeline.
If not stopped, the Calgary-based Enbridge Line 3 pipeline would mean the building of 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrels of diluted bitumen per day and would have the capacity to do so for the next 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year. Enbridge wants to replace the entire pipeline by December 2017.
Water concerns
The Qu'Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) will be discussing at their monthly meeting (on 8 March) new information on how the pipeline will impact the Qu’Appelle Watershed. [ http://qvea.ca/campaigns.html ]
The QVEA says, "[The pipeline] will crisscross fourteen of our watercourses, including our major rivers – tunneling under the South Saskatchewan River, south of Outlook, and under the Qu’Appelle River, near Bethune."
The CBC adds, "The proposed new route [in the United States] crosses grasslands in Minnesota and could threaten downstream waterways and violate treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather crops, including wild rice, opponents contend."
Pipeline spills
The CBC also notes, "In 1999, Line 3 ruptured near Pilot Butte, east of Regina, releasing more than 20,000 barrels of heavy crude oil."
The QVEA adds, "Husky Oil’s 250,000 litre oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River in 2016 made us all more aware of the threat that pipelines present to our waterways and to our drinking water. The latest major Saskatchewan spill occurred on January 20th, 2017 on Ocean Man First Nations. This 200,000 litre spill involved a Tundra Energy pipeline, which has no record of ever being inspected. A few weeks later, Tundra Energy had yet another oil spill near Storthoaks, southeast of Regina."
It highlights, "These are just the tip of the iceberg."
Consultation and Indigenous rights
And it notes, "Saskatchewan citizens were never given the opportunity to scrutinize or approve Line 3. It wasn’t debated in our last provincial election; there was never a social license to proceed. There was never consent from indigenous communities."
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs along with the Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the pipeline. The Chippewa in Minnesota have also said they will work to stop the pipeline to protect their sacred manoomin (wild rice).
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog.
Tags: chapters
[ https://canadians.org/tags/chapters ]
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Minnesota to decide on Trudeau-backed Line 3 tar sands pipeline in April 2018
[ https://canadians.org/blog/minnesota-de ... april-2018 ]
August 17, 2017 - 5:30 pm
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline in November 2016, but a review process is still underway in Minnesota.
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in a March 2014 blog. The Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have also expressed concerns about the Line 3 pipeline, as has the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. The heavy oil pipeline would pass nearby Regina and Brandon, communities where the Council of Canadians has chapters.
On August 4, Global News reported, "Enbridge says construction is now underway on the Line 3 replacement pipeline in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Suzanne Wilton, a spokesperson for Enbridge, said construction 'kicked off in earnest' at Hardisty, Alta., this week."
The CBC has reported, "Line 3 already has presidential approval, but the replacement project must undergo separate permitting processes in the U.S. [including in Minnesota where there is significant opposition] before construction can begin."
Now the Associated Press reports, "Minnesota regulators on Thursday [August 17] released the final environmental review of Enbridge Energy's proposal to replace its aging Line 3 oil pipeline, which carries Canadian tar sands crude across northern Minnesota to Wisconsin. The review will inform the state Public Utilities Commission as it decides whether the project is needed and what route it should take. The commission is scheduled to decide by Dec. 11 whether the final review meets the legal requirements, and to decide on April 30 whether to give its ultimate approval to the pipeline and its route. Administrative law judges will hold hearings and take more public testimony along the way."
That article adds, "Enbridge's preferred route has drawn opposition because it would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. Native American groups including Honor the Earth, which is led by Winona LaDuke, have threatened mass protests that would echo the fight over the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Reservation in the Dakotas. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project."
Anticipating approval in April 2018, Enbridge expects to have the pipeline in service by the second half of 2019.
The Council of Canadians stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop Line 3.
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Direct actions, #PaddleToProtect & Camp Turtle Island challenge Trudeau-backed Line 3 pipeline
[ https://canadians.org/blog/direct-actio ... 3-pipeline ]
September 1, 2017 - 7:27 pm
#PaddleToProtect
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline in November 2016, but resistance to it being built is growing.
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
Construction on the pipeline has now begun in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, while the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018.
Direct actions in Wisconsin
The Duluth News Tribune reports, "Six people were arrested on trespassing charges [on August 29] after their protest stopped work on a segment of Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline construction in rural Douglas County [in Wisconsin]. People identifying themselves as water protectors shut down heavy equipment operations for a third time in nine days near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border, southwest of Superior. ...The protests were calling for the removal of Line 3. ...[The pipeline] is currently under construction in Canada and Wisconsin, and awaiting the outcome of a review process in Minnesota."
The article adds, "Three of those arrested, who all were between ages 23-38, were listed as being from Cloquet [in Minnesota]; the others were from Michigan, South Dakota and Saskatchewan."
Water protectors also shut down construction on the pipeline in Wisconsin for several hours on August 21.
#PaddleToProtect in Minnesota
The Associated Press has previously reported, "[Line 3] would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. ...The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project."
Tomorrow (September 2) Indigenous youth will complete their 22-day 400 kilometre canoe voyage through the Mississippi headwaters in opposition to the pipeline.
The Stop Line 3 website notes, "This epic journey culminates at the historic Big Sandy Lake [in Minnesota], where hundreds of Ojibwe people died of starvation, exposure, and disease, after the US Government failed to deliver the rations and annuities in 1850. Line 3 threatens the Big Sandy and Flowage watershed, a vital wild rice bed that local communities depend on to this day. The youth have invited local leaders to speak about the urgency of joining together to protect our water."
Water Protector Camp in Minnesota
And Camp Turtle Island has been established at the intersection of County 4 and Highway 113 at the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. Their website notes, "The wild ricing season begins at the end of [August], the camp will be focused on gathering natural foods and medicines before winter comes so that we can feed the local community, the camp, and other water protector camps around the US and Canada."
In Canada
The Qu'Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) in Saskatchewan has stated, "[The Line 3 pipeline] will crisscross fourteen of our watercourses, including our major rivers – tunneling under the South Saskatchewan River, south of Outlook, and under the Qu’Appelle River, near Bethune."
Furthermore, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs along with the Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the pipeline.
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in March 2014 and stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop the pipeline.
#StopLine3
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Minnesota Department of Commerce rejects Trudeau-approved Line 3 pipeline
[ https://canadians.org/blog/minnesota-de ... 3-pipeline ]
September 11, 2017 - 6:56 pm
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has concluded "that Minnesota would be better off if Enbridge proposed to cease operations of the existing Line 3, without any new pipeline being built." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the construction of the new Line 3 pipeline in November 2016 (at the same time he approved the 890,000 barrel per day Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline).
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin, which is situated on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19 to 26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Associated Press now reports, "The Minnesota Department of Commerce says Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Instead, the department says it might be better to just shut down the existing line."
Minnesota Public Radio adds, "The state Commerce Department dealt a setback Monday [September 11] to a proposed oil pipeline across northern Minnesota, declaring the environmental and socioeconomic risks of letting Enbridge Energy replace its aging Line 3 pipeline across Minnesota outweigh its 'limited benefits'."
Construction on the pipeline began this summer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, while the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018.
The PUC is accepting public comments over the next few months.
The Associated Press has previously reported, "[Line 3] would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. ...The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project."
In Canada, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs along with the Ochapowace, Keeseekoose, George Gordon and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan have all expressed concerns about the pipeline.
The Qu'Appelle Valley Environmental Association (QVEA) in Saskatchewan has stated, "[The Line 3 pipeline] will crisscross fourteen of our watercourses, including our major rivers – tunneling under the South Saskatchewan River, south of Outlook, and under the Qu’Appelle River, near Bethune."
The Council of Canadians first expressed opposition to the building of the new Line 3 pipeline in March 2014 and stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop the pipeline.
#StopLine3
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Timelines in fight vs TransMountain, Keystone XL, Line 3 and Line 10 pipelines
[ https://canadians.org/blog/timelines-fi ... -pipelines ]
October 7, 2017 - 4:01 pm
(PHOTO: The Council of Canadians protesting the Kinder Morgan project at the Burnaby export terminal, May 2016.)
Now that the Energy East pipeline has been defeated, the Council of Canadians is refocusing its efforts to stop the Kinder Morgan, Keystone XL, Line 3 and Line 10 pipelines. Our overall objective is to win a 100 per cent clean energy economy by 2050.
Added together, the Kinder Morgan pipeline (890,000 barrels per day), Keystone XL (830,000 bpd), Line 3 (760,000 bpd) and Line 10 (73,000 bpd) would represent a flow of 2.55 million barrels a day of carbon intensive heavy oil for a 40-50 year period.
All these pipelines mean a continued expansion of the tar sands, all cross waterways and sources of drinking water, and all cross Indigenous lands and territories without adequate consultation and consent. We believe the Trudeau government is not demonstrating "climate leadership" with its support of these projects.
Now the Canadian Press reports, "It's more vital than ever that three other pipelines to oil export markets proceed as planned in the wake of TransCanada Corp. shelving its Energy East pipeline, says AltaCorp Capital analyst Dirk Lever. Lever says [that] the pipeline transportation system out of Western Canada will remain tight for years."
Canada currently exports about 3.4 million barrels per day of oil to the United States. The article notes that RBC Capital Markets projects tar sands production to increase by 900,000 barrels per day in the next five years. It adds industry experts predict that production could reach 5 million barrels per day by 2030. And it notes that the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says Canada will exceed its current and projected pipeline capacity by 2030 with Energy East now shelved.
Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain (Alberta, British Columbia)
Trudeau approved the Trans Mountain pipeline in November 2016. It is currently being challenged in a Federal Court of Appeal that runs to October 13. Kinder Morgan had intended to begin construction on the pipeline during the first week of September. The British Columbia government has stated that the company cannot begin construction on public lands, but it does have National Energy Board approval to work on private lands, including the Burnaby export terminal. Construction could begin on that terminal at any time. Kinder Morgan wants the pipeline to be in-service by late-2019.
TransCanada Keystone XL (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska)
Both the Trudeau government and Trump administration back the Keystone XL pipeline. TransCanada is currently seeking long-range commitments from oil producers and that will inform its review of the pipeline's viability. The Nebraska Public Service Commission is expected to make a final decision by November 23 on whether to accept or reject a permit for the pipeline or mandate a rerouting of it. TransCanada says it will make its final investment decision in December.
Enbridge Line 3 (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Wisconsin, Minnesota)
The Trudeau government approved this pipeline in November 2016. Construction on the pipeline began this past summer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, while the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018. Enbridge wants the pipeline to be operational by early-2019.
Enbridge Line 10 (Ontario, New York)
The National Energy Board approved 35-kilometres of this pipeline in southern Ontario this past January. Pipelines under 40 kilometres in length do not require Cabinet approval. In late-August, CATCH reported, "Thousands of trees are being cut down across rural Hamilton to make way for the controversial expansion of the Enbridge Line 10 oil export pipeline." Enbridge expects the pipeline to be in service by 2018.
#StopKM #NoKXL #StopLine3 #StopLine10
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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Re: LINE 3: 10 Things You Need to Know about the Line 3 Pipe
by Oscar » Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:41 am
Brandon, Regina & Saskatoon chapters oppose the 760,000 bpd Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline
[ https://canadians.org/blog/brandon-regi ... s-pipeline ]
November 17, 2017 - 4:38 pm
The Council of Canadians Brandon, Regina and Saskatoon chapters are opposed to the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the construction of the new Enbridge Line 3 pipeline in November 2016 (at the same time he approved the 890,000 barrel per day Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline).
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19-26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
Notably, less than a year later, the Minnesota Department of Commerce concluded that "Minnesota would be better off if Enbridge proposed to cease operations of the existing Line 3, without any new pipeline being built." The Associated Press has reported, "The Minnesota Department of Commerce says Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Instead, the department says it might be better to just shut down the existing line."
On November 2, the Canadian Press reported, "Last week, the [Minnesota] Public Utilities Commission ruled Enbridge must publicly disclose its projections for potential oil spills on the line, including the probability of large spills at seven water crossings. The company had already submitted the data as part of an environmental impact statement, but had the information redacted from the public version..."
While the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018, construction on it began this summer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin.
Non-violent direct actions have been taking place at work sites in Wisconsin through the Makwa Initiative, while Camp Turtle Island, a water protector camp, has been established in Minnesota.
The Council of Canadians first expressed its opposition to Line 3 in March 2014 and stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop the pipeline.
Enbridge says the pipeline should be completed by mid-2019.
#StopLine3 #LoveWaterNotOil #NoEnbridge #HonorTheTreaties
Tags: chapters
[ https://canadians.org/tags/chapters ]
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
[ https://canadians.org/blog/brandon-regi ... s-pipeline ]
November 17, 2017 - 4:38 pm
The Council of Canadians Brandon, Regina and Saskatoon chapters are opposed to the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved the construction of the new Enbridge Line 3 pipeline in November 2016 (at the same time he approved the 890,000 barrel per day Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline).
The building of Line 3 would mean 1,600 kilometres of new pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin on the western tip of Lake Superior. The original 390,000 barrel per day Line 3 pipeline was built in 1968 and would be decommissioned and left underground. The new larger pipeline would carry 760,000 barrel per day and would have the capacity to carry diluted bitumen for 50-60 years. Enbridge admits the pipeline would mean 19-26 megatonnes of upstream greenhouse gas emissions each year.
Notably, less than a year later, the Minnesota Department of Commerce concluded that "Minnesota would be better off if Enbridge proposed to cease operations of the existing Line 3, without any new pipeline being built." The Associated Press has reported, "The Minnesota Department of Commerce says Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Instead, the department says it might be better to just shut down the existing line."
On November 2, the Canadian Press reported, "Last week, the [Minnesota] Public Utilities Commission ruled Enbridge must publicly disclose its projections for potential oil spills on the line, including the probability of large spills at seven water crossings. The company had already submitted the data as part of an environmental impact statement, but had the information redacted from the public version..."
While the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will not make its final decision on the pipeline until April 30, 2018, construction on it began this summer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wisconsin.
Non-violent direct actions have been taking place at work sites in Wisconsin through the Makwa Initiative, while Camp Turtle Island, a water protector camp, has been established in Minnesota.
The Council of Canadians first expressed its opposition to Line 3 in March 2014 and stands in solidarity with Canadian, American and Indigenous campaigns to stop the pipeline.
Enbridge says the pipeline should be completed by mid-2019.
#StopLine3 #LoveWaterNotOil #NoEnbridge #HonorTheTreaties
Tags: chapters
[ https://canadians.org/tags/chapters ]
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ https://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
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