How the U.S’ New Pipeline will Endanger the Environment and Indigenous Communities

by Campbell Hauschild

With the arrival of the Biden administration and the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline, many Indigenous people and environmentalists rejoiced around this information and hoped for more action against the oil industry. But with the coming warm temperatures of spring, the construction of the Line 3 oil pipeline is set to continue until it's completed. Line 3 is a tar sand oil pipeline set to run from Southern British Columbia to Superior, Wisconsin. Proposed as an extension to an existing pipeline, the Line 3 construction had created an entirely new route that runs through Indigenous Territory, as well as multiple watersheds. The construction of this line poses a threat not only to the environment but also citizens all across the United States as well. The Line 3 Pipeline is a short-sighted, unethical and exploitative project that must be stopped as soon as possible.

Although public recognition of the Line 3 controversy has just recently spiked, the Ojibwe people have been fighting ever since the start of this pipeline. Tara Houska, a prominent figure in the fight against Line 3 has worked with the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Red Lake Nation, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe as their tribal attorney. Despite aid from Minnesota´s own department of commerce and multiple environmental organizations, the work continues.

Being in a pandemic, the migration of thousands of out-of-state workers to northern Minnesota threatens the already vulnerable rural Indigenous communities. Police have arrested hundreds of protesters protecting the Mississippi, either on-site or observing social media to identify trespassing people. Although the arrests have continued, Houska said,¨They seem to think that it's going to deter us from protecting the land. They are fundamentally missing the point of what water protectors are doing, which is willing to put ourselves, our freedom, our bodies, our personal comfort on the line for something greater than ourselves.¨ After working as the Advisor on Native American Affairs with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Houska also hoped that the closing of the Keystone XL pipeline would be President Biden's first move regarding renewable energy as well as indigenous relations. But it seems that she and other indigenous leaders must still campaign to protect their land and to stop the fossil fuel industry from poisoning their territories.

Among the serious threats posed by the Line 3 oil Pipeline, the environmental impacts are predicted to be devastating. The perpetuation of the coal industry in any circumstance is a step backward for renewable energy. Although Enbridge representatives claim that fossil fuels are still necessary, the existence of the pipeline poses a direct environmental threat aside from its contributions to the industry. This pipeline is set to run illegally through indigenous land and waterways, polluting not only their primary freshwater supply but their food source. This line also will contribute billions towards the fossil fuel industry, which not only is inefficient but will cause further pollution along the route. The pollution and environmental impact of this line will trickle down through the U.S, as the end of the Line 3 pipeline sits at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The processing plant at the end of the pipeline will consume 6 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of tar sand oil, which will rapidly use freshwater. Not only is this practice unsustainable, but it's also unethical. Consuming freshwater and leaving pollution anywhere should be punished, and the extension of these transgressions on Indigenous Territory shows how serious this situation is.

The company constructing the Line 3 pipeline has already started its construction. Their rush to buy materials and move their assets shows how eager the company is to complete the pipeline before politics or their violations can catch up with them. But with the increasing advocacy and awareness surrounding this situation, Enbridge and the companies supporting them are under serious pressure. You yourself can help by calling your representatives and informing them on the issue, contacting Enbridge regarding their treaty violations, and checking the eighteen banks backing Enbridge to ensure you don't support them.