Dear Members and Friends,

Good afternoon! I hope all are managing through this hot weather today. Last night, we had the opportunity to meet with a number of you during our Annual Meeting, at which time we elected our board and officers. As the new president, I look forward to working with all of you and do my best to ensure that you have information as timely as possible. Below, you will find some very important information regarding the DNR hearing on Line 5 tomorrow. Our Natural Resources Advocacy Committee has been working diligently in partnership with a number of key organizations to support the League's position on decommissioning Line 5. Tomorrow we have an extremely important meeting and we hope that those who can will attend, and all who wish to will testify either verbally or in writing.

Jan Penn, one of our board members, was one of the panelists for a webinar offered by Madison's Sierra Club and 350.Org on June 29 to prepare for the DNR's Line 5 hearing on July 1.

Many people from around the state have signed up to testify or listen in. If you would like to be part of an email string during the hearing to discuss what you hear, or support each other, etc. please contact elizabeth.ward@sierraclub.org

Below you will find a wealth of information compiled by the organizations mentioned above with whom the League of Women Voters of Ashland and Bayfield Counties is collaborating regarding our Enbridge Line 5 concerns and efforts.

Here are the links for the DNR Hearing: Remember to log in early in case the meeting is full!

Zoom Meeting to join the hearing (or call +13126266799,,99038110941#)
Link to watch the hearing- if you can't get in please email elizabeth.ward@sierraclub.org who is keeping track of accessibility
Join us on Facebook and Twitter (@350Madison @SierraclubWI) and use #ShutDownLine5 during and after the hearing!

For easy access, here are our 'asks' of the DNR-

Do not grant the Wetlands permit
This pipeline should be shut down, but at the very least, do not allow this pipeline through the Bad River watershed
Analyze upstream and downstream climate impacts
Ensure the Bad River Band and other Tribe’s who’s ceded territory the pipeline will be in are fully participants of this process
For preparing your testimony:
- Longer, more detailed talking points about the concerns
- Tips and Tricks for Testifying

Useful Links:

The hearing website describes the permits and the hearing. DNR's project website includes more information and maps of the proposal.
Sierra Club AddUp Page- our one-stop shop for the Line 5 activities
Copy of the PowerPoint (attached)
Recording of the webinar [PASSWORD- ShutDownLine5]- I forgot to hit record until Jan started! The PowerPoint should tell you what you missed though.

Finally, here are some additional useful links and information:

What do we know about the economic impact of Line 5 spill?:
- Here's an economic report from Michigan State University
- Here's a general article on Wisconsin's tourism economy (much of which happens in the North Woods)
- Here is a county-by-county breakdown of the tourism economy
  (Ashland, Iron, and Bayfield Counties = $129.2 million)
New York Times article with an interactive map to see the flood risk that Jan mentioned
Greenpeace report, Dangerous Pipelines Enbridge's History of Spills Threatens Minnesota Waters

From 2002 to present, Enbridge and its joint ventures and subsidiaries reported 307 hazardous liquids incidents to federal regulators — one incident every 20 days on average. These spills released a total of 66,059 barrels (2.8 million gallons, or more than four Olympic-sized swimming pools) of hazardous liquids.

Thank you for participating and being informed to protect our watershed!

Warmest Regards,

Sue Niemi
President
League of Women Voters of Ashland and Bayfield Counties