The Line 3 Pipeline Replacement Project required two regulatory components from the MN Public Utilities Commission in order to proceed to the next steps of the regulatory process.
The PUC rarely much involvement by the general populace and the projected attendance of the Line 3 Hearings was larger than anything they had ever seen. In an effort to best manage the limited amount of space inside the PUC hearing rooms, a ticketing system for attendance as implemented on a “First Come First Served” basis.
What ensued based on this system of admission was a scramble for seats with both proponents and opponents of the pipeline encouraging their supporters to show up early to guarantee they had more people in the hearing room than the other side.
As early as 6:00am on the first four days of public hearings people began assembling outside of the PUC for the 9am meetings. On the fifth day, which was NOT originally scheduled, advocates of “Minnesotans for Line 3” arrived by 4:30 in the morning for the 11am meeting and had wrapped a line to the front door that went around the building, effectively blocking out any member of the actual public from attending inside the main hearing room with the Commissioners.
Each and every day of the hearings the Minnesotans for Line 3 Corporate Bus was parked across from the PUC building providing corporate snacks, donuts, and coffee. As a contrast, directly in front of the PUC building was a small table staffed by several native women offering Anishinaabe Wild Rice (Manoomin), Fry Bread and other homemade nourishment to the Water Protector community (and others) with a small sign suggesting a contribution.
If you attended the PUC meetings, you probably ate from this table and if you’re like us, you probably wouldn’t have had food throughout the day if it weren’t for this group of women.
Now, it’s your turn to help! These women, the “Grandmothers in Resistance”, are getting a used RV so they can continue providing food for the movement when and where they’re needed.
If you have a couple extra bucks, show them some love and appreciation with a contribution to the GoFundMe setup by Jaci Christenson to offset costs of their next big step!
GoFundMe Donation Page: https://www.gofundme.com/grandmas-for-clean-water
We were asked to help spread the word and created a little video to help them along and uploaded it via Twitter and Facebook.
Facebook Video Link: https://www.facebook.com/SEEKJOYco/videos/1018111021705572/
Wistia Video Link: https://seekjoy.wistia.com/medias/sk4ok4cq68
Spread the Love!