This weekend water protectors and pipeline resisters will party in St. Paul, and you’re invited! The party starts on Friday at 2:30 at the State Capitol and moves from there to Metro Square, 121 7th Place East, where the PUC has its offices, continuing through Saturday afternoon.
The Block Party focus is on protecting our Minnesota water, and especially on opposing Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline proposal, which would cross 337 miles of northern Minnesota. Go to stopline3.org for more information..
Come for part of the time, drop in and out, or stay through the night. Here’s the schedule of events:
Schedule for Friday, May 18
2:30 PM Meet on the steps outside the Capitol before we visit the governor’s office together to ask him to stand strong against Line 3. Then we’ll walk to the PUC for the Block (Line 3) Party at 3:00.
3:00 PM Clean Energy Solutions Fair, Info Tents, and Silk Screen Art Tent at PUC (bring a t-shirt!)
4:00-6:00 PM Community meal provided (vegan/gluten free option too!)
5:30-9:00 PM Concert to Block Line 3 Lineup!
- Thomas X
- See More Perspective
- Jayanthi Kyle
- Annie Humphrey
What should you bring on Friday?
*Bring your own reusable dinnerware for the Community Meal in the form of a plate and silverware. Let’s be eco-friendly wherever we go!
*Bring a reusable water bottle. We’ll have the water!
*Bring camp chairs and blankets for our outdoor concert!
*Bring a t-shirt or other piece of clothing from home to have a very cool design screen printed on it. This is a fundraising event for the Water Protectors who have an art tent up north, so donations are accepted in any amount.Overnight vigil & community space will be hosted at the PUC block between Friday and Saturday schedules — no scheduled events overnight, but please stay, and wake up refreshed for our morning Water Ceremony.
Schedule for Saturday, May 19
8:30 AM Water Ceremony at Mississippi River (meet at river near Sibley St in downtown St. Paul)
10:00 AM Pledge of Resistance Signing at the PUC — commit to oppose Line 3
12:00-4:00 PM Direct Action Training OR join the March for Science at Mears ParkWhat should you bring on Saturday?
*Bring your own reusable dinnerware for breakfast or lunch in the form of a plate and silverware. It’s so easy to be eco-friendly wherever we go!
*Bring a reusable water bottle. We’ll have the water!
*Bring a cup of water from your home for the Water Ceremony.*A light breakfast will be provided (vegan/gluten free option too!).
The Public Utility Commission will hear oral arguments in June, prior to making its decision on Line 3. Mark your calendar for June 18, 19, 26, and 27 to attend those arguments. Subscribe to HealingMNStories to stay up-to-date on developments. From the StopLine3 website:
“Line 3 is an Enbridge pipeline that ships crude oil from Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin. It spans northern Minnesota, crossing the Leech Lake and Fond du Lac reservations and l855 and l842 treaty areas. It was built with defective steel in l96l, and has had numerous ruptures and continues to degrade. Instead of cleaning up this liability, Enbridge is proposing to leave it in the ground and build a $7.5 billion brand new corridor through our watershed and Ojibwe treaty territories, expanding Line 3 into the largest project in Enbridge’s history. This would become one of the largest crude oil pipelines in the continent, carrying up to 915,000 barrels per day. First Nations, tribes, and communities along this dangerous corridor having been fighting for years to stop Line 3 and protect our future generations.”