Protestors Paddle the Nemadji River to Speak Out Against Enbridge Expansion Plans

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Enbridge has big plans to invest millions of dollars to upgrade pipelines running through the Northland.

Plans the company call the safest way to move oil and serve the region’s energy needs while many support the plans, others protested  on the Nemadji river to share their concern.

Protesters came out to the rally with their canoes and kayaks to paddle down the Nemadji River.

Enbridge is planning to build new pipelines and Minnesota power is looking to build a new natural gas plant nearby the river.

Also the river sits near the 2018 Husky explosion site.

Protesters used this rally as an opportunity to bring light to an issue they believe is impacting everyone.

“We are coming down here try to heal things. We know there is damage down here. We know the fire caused damage and there’s always going to be oil spills. There will always be things like that. So it’s going to be a super fun site forever. It’s the question of how to treat it now,” said a tribal attorney Frank Bibeau.

Honor the Earth is an indigenous organization raising awareness for environmental issues.

One member from Pennsylvania believes it’s time to move the focus away from fossil fuels.

“It’s not just about this project. It’s not just about this pipeline. It’s about the tar sands industry that this pipeline would help to increase and continue on at a time when we need to start shutting down oil and gas explorations and turning to clean and renewable fuel sources,” said protester Nicolette Slagle.

Canoes were painted with slogans like “water is life” and “love water, not oil” as a symbol of protest.

As the Enbridge pipeline continues to be a concern for these, they are at least hoping to try to protect the Nemadji River one paddle at a time.

Enbridge leaders have previous said the company has spent millions of dollars researching and developing to make the pipelines and technology safer.

But protesters are not convinced Enbridge’s expansion plans would do enough to protect the environment.