“This is a message to federal and state agencies to prioritize water over oil transport in vulnerable areas like the Great Lakes.” ~Liz Kirkwood (Detroit News, Dec. 4, 2016)
On Sunday, after seven months of legal battles and protests, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that they will not grant the final easement across the Missouri River necessary to build the 1,172-mile Dakota Access Pipeline to transport Bakken oil to Illinois and the Gulf. The basis of this decision was the need to conduct a full environmental review that explores alternative pipeline routes that do not jeopardize the Missouri River or impact sovereign tribal lands and cultural resources.
The message of Standing Rock—Water is Life—resonates with the people of the Great Lakes who are working to shut down the 64-year-old Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline that runs directly through Lake Michigan. FLOW’s own Liz Kirkwood was quoted in this article from The Detroit News, saying: “This is a message to federal and state agencies to prioritize water over oil transport in vulnerable areas like the Great Lakes.”
We must take action and protect our water. It is our responsibility.
