UPI, July 23, 2013
Members of Michigan Against Tar Sands locked down to machinery used by Enbridge in pipeline construction, July 22, 2013.
STOCKBRIDGE, Mich., July 23 (UPI) — Canadian pipeline company Enbridge said it was considering the need for constant surveillance of operations in Michigan after protesters blocked its work.
Twelve members of a group of 40 protesters from the Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands were arrested Monday in southern Michigan after blocking work associated with Line 6B, part of an Enbridge-operated pipeline system through the state.
Enbridge is working on repairs to the pipeline system, which ruptured in 2010. Line 6B was carrying Canadian crude oil, a type that sinks in water and is more difficult to clean than conventional crude oil. The spill was the costliest onshore incident of its kind.
Enbridge spokesman Jason Manshum told The Lansing State Journal the company as reviewing its security protocol around the pipeline.
“We are looking at around the clock, 24/7 security,” he said. “When you think about it, you are talking about people’s safety on the site. You are also talking about the integrity of that pipeline.”
He said the company lost about six hours of work because of the protest. Four of the protesters had attached themselves to bulldozers in an act of civil disobedience.
Nearly 400 demonstrators took part in a July 14 protest organized by the National Wildlife Federation and 350.org turned against Enbridge pipelines running through the state.
A member of MICAT locked down to machinery in Michigan, July 22, 2013.
BREAKING: Michigan Activists Locking Down to Halt Tar Sands Pipeline Construction
From MI-CATS Press Release:
Monday, July 22nd, 2013
This morning Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands (MI-CATS) is taking direct action near Stockbridge `to halt construction of the Tar Sands pipeline 6B expansion project of Canadian corporation Enbridge. Over 40 Michiganders have come to oppose the infamous corporation’s flagrant expansion of the very same pipeline that spilled out into the Kalamazoo River only three years ago. Enbridge claims they have restored the river after a spill is no excuse to expand the pipeline, expanding the pipeline increases the risk for everyone.
Residents are currently halting Enbridge’s construction plans by putting their bodies on the line in an act of non violent civil disobedience against Enbridge’s plans. At least 6 people have been arrested so far as police attempt to shut down the protest. 4 people are currently locked down to construction equipment and refusing to move. Police have arrested their medical support team and threaten to arrest anyone who tries to approach them.
These measures come after the exhaustion of every method within the law, as it has has become apparent from our experiences all throughout the state. Our state government is ready to set aside its own laws and legal processes to accommodate this foreign corporation.
Enbridge itself has consistently demonstrated that their sole priority is their own bottom line, not the health and safety of the people of Michigan, our ecosystem, and even their own workers.
Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands seeks to unite the people of Michigan toward the common goal of stopping all transportation of tar sands oil in the state and advocating against the production and transportation of tar sands everywhere. We work in solidarity with the global movement against harsh fossil fuel extractive practices.
According to one person who is participating in this action “This pipeline is a disaster for Michigan’s water and the global climate. I’m blockading this pipeline to prevent the next spill because I care about Michigan’s air and water. People all over the world are taking action in their own community this Fearless Summer. We need to leave all fossil fuels in the ground.” – William Lawrence of East Lansing
We will not allow Canadian tar sands to pass through our backyards. We will no longer allow the same Canadian corporation responsible for the tar sands which still lie at the bottom of our Kalamazoo River to place all of us at risk. We are taking this action to protect from another spill and to ensure a livable planet for generations to come.
Location of the action is the Enbridge 6B easement off of Grimes west of M-52 near Stockbridge, MI. Look for the orange construction signs and the police presence. #micatsact. Updates on the action will continue, as events unfold.
This is MI-CATS’ second action at the Enbridge 6B pipeline this summer; in the first an activist climbed inside the Enbridge 6B pipe. Follow @MichiganCats and @efjournal on twitter for updates
BCBlackOut 