Post 23

Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Brainerd/Pine River, MN
November 24, 2013

Before too much more time passes in this busy season, today's report has to do with the second Gas/Oil meeting in the series, held at Happy Dancing Turtle in Pine River on Friday, the 22nd. There was a light attendance. Marty Cobenais, MN Sierra Club board member,  gave a Pipeline 101 slide presentation on the history of Enbridge's operations in our area, plans for expansion into northern Cass County, record of leaks and damage, and potential for adverse impact on the land, air, and water. He answered questions on his thoughts about how to try to protest and take action; basically, if one is a land owner whose property would be in the planned corridor, and you objected, banding together and hiring a lawyer skilled in environmental law and eminent domain would be the only way to stop Enbridge's approval to go ahead at the Public Utilities Commission. The public has only until December 5th to register opinions with the PUC, when the public comment period closes. There is scarcely time to organize the citizens who attended this meeting, much less be able to find an attorney who could take it on pro bono, and whether standing would be an issue would need to be addressed. Unless just as citizens is enough....it should be, in this democracy.....our suggestion is, get informed and write letters. To the County Commissioners. To your legislators. To your Senators. To your Congressmen. To your local papers. At least, don't let this slide into inevitability go down without giving voice to your concerns. If you listen at all to the Indigenous Environmental Networks postings on facebook, you will see that people just like us here in Cass County, are speaking up against the power of large corporations like Enbridge, who do not seem to answer to anyone......

Plans for NUUF's next meeting have changed. On the 14th of December, we will meet at Arbor Glen at 11am, and after, attend a Legacy concert at Tornstrum Hall in Brainerd.

Submitted by Mary DeYoung, News Director