Coalition Announces Community Water Gatherings August 5-6
SUPERIOR, WI — The Great Lakes are the original homelands of numerous Native nations – Anishinaabe, Fox, Huron, Iroquois, Ottawa, Potawatomi and Sioux. Holding one-fifth of the world's surface freshwater, the lakes provide drinking water for millions of people and are culturally and economically vital to our region. But an aging 70-year-old oil pipeline, Line 5, threatens to irreversibly contaminate this precious water.
In solidarity with the water and tribes fighting to protect the Great Lakes, please join us in Superior, Wisconsin for a march, flotilla, and community water festival on the Nemadji River on Sunday, August 6 to bring awareness to the call for an immediate shut down of the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline.
There will be a sister rally and flotilla event on Saturday, August 5 hosted by frontline communities in Ashland, 8am to Noon at the "Long Bridge" over Fish Creek on US-2.
Participants are encouraged to attend both the Saturday event in Ashland and Sunday event in Superior, if possible. Bring a canoe or kayak and life jacket if you have them; there will be extras available if you don't. Local camping will be available.
Superior Community Water Festival on 8/6: We will start gathering at 10am, then march to a boat landing where there will be an option to join a flotilla. The march route is one mile up 31st Ave E to the landing and one mile back. The rally and festival will begin at noon. Expect powerful speakers, great live music, fun kids’ activities, free food, and lots of opportunity for community-building and expressing our love of the water. Swimming here is not recommended, but if you like fishing, bring your pole – you can fish right off the end of 5th Street by the festival site.
Ashland Community Rally & Flotilla on 8/5: We’ll gather at Fish Creek, the location of one of the original Anishinaabe camps on Lake Superior. Park and meet at the boat landing near the “Long Bridge.” Setup starts at 8am, out on the water at 9am. If you choose not to be on the water, there will be a rally along the road with signs. We'll wrap up with a pizza party at The Bohemian Hall on 11th Ave East, and perhaps a special surprise film screening!
In June we received good news about Line 5. A federal judge ordered Enbridge to shut down a segment of this decrepit fossil-fuel pipeline trespassing on Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa land – within 3 years. This is the first ruling of its kind in US history.
Now, the bad news. The emergency erosion situation hasn’t improved at the Mashkiiziibii (Bad River) meander, just 16 miles upstream of Gichigami (Lake Superior). Enbridge’s proposed reroute would be devastating for the Bad River Tribe and local residents. And Line 5 threatens to rupture at any time into Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, as the regulatory fight continues over Enbridge’s proposed "solution" – a huge oil tunnel under the sacred Straits of Mackinac.
Together, we’re building political pressure so we can say goodbye to Line 5, protect our Great Lakes waters, and prevent endless heating of our Mother Earth. We hope to see you on the water soon!
P.S. – Whether or not you are able to attend in August, please mark your calendar for the annual Labor Day weekend Water is Life Festival in Michigan!
