On today’s show, host Esty Dinur is in conversation with four guests–Joe Bates, Matthew Borke, Rob Lee, and Gracie Waukechon–who are fighting against the reroute of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation in northern Wisconsin. Enbridge has begun construction on the reroute though the legal battle has not been fully resolved.

Joe Bates discusses how he uses his drone to observe the construction. He’s captured footage of the new easement where Enbridge plans to use horizontal directional drilling to install the new pipeline. Matthew Borke says that what we’re hearing from the Trump administration is a forked-tongue message. He encourages folks to stay informed about the legal proceedings.

Gracie Waukechon says that this issue is personal. In light of the threat that the pipeline poses to the lands and waters of the region she says, “I feel as if my future has been taken away from me.” She’s also worried about the future of resistance in light of a contract that Ashland County officials signed last month for policing protests.

Rob Lee talks about how Enbridge is starting to break ground on construction of the reroute, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that they will get final approval. He reminds listeners that the oil that passes through Line 5 passes from Canada and back to Canada, which should concern people across the political spectrum.

Joe Bates is a Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal elder and water protector.

Matthew Borke was raised in southern Michigan and graduated as a Chef from Northern Michigan University’s Culinary Arts program. Matthew has been organizing for the complete shutdown of Enbridge Line 5 since 2017 locally, nationally, and internationally.

Rob Lee is a Senior Staff Attorney at Midwest Environmental Advocates. His work spans a wide range of environmental and public health issues. His areas of focus include PFAS contamination, oil pipelines, Clean Water Act compliance, wetlands and waterways, the Great Lakes, Wisconsin’s Public Trust Doctrine, hazardous substances, mining, and open government.

Gracie Waukechon/Meyāwāēw (May-yow-way) is a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a Menominee Descendant. She resides near the Menominee Reservation with her family. Gracie is a student at the College of Menominee Nation and interns at the Sustainable Development Institute.

Featured image of the proposed Line 5 reroute via the Wisconsin DNR.

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