Photo: Overpass Light Brigade

The 350 Wisconsin Tar Sands Team mobilizes to stop new oil pipelines from being built in Wisconsin and to get existing pipelines decommissioned and removed.

We work with landowners, environmentalists, tribes, and anyone who shares our goals. We oppose the use of eminent domain for private gain and laws that criminalize peaceful protest.

Our aim is to stop the flow of tar sands oil through the Midwest by denying extractive industries a means to get the oil to markets via pipelines. In this way, we are helping to defuse the “carbon bomb” that climate scientist James Hansen stated would mean “game over for the climate.”

Our current priority is to #ShutDownLine5. Learn more about our Line 5 campaign, which is at a crucial stage and needs your help, below and here.

You can support the efforts to “Drop the Charges” against the water protectors who fought so bravely against the new Enbridge Line 3 (now in operation as Line 93) by clicking here.

With 350 Wisconsin’s Divest & Defund Team, we’re also creating a joint campaign of public pressure to #StopTheMoneyPipeline that props up the fossil fuel industry through loans, insurance, and investment. Learn more about the Divest & Defund Team here.

Our Successes

• We helped recruit people to voice their concerns at the February 2, 2022, virtual hearing on the DNR’s draft Environmental Impact Statement for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 reroute. The hearing lasted a full 10 hours, from 4:00 pm until 2:00 the next morning, with 147 people speaking in opposition (88%) and just 20 in favor (12%).
• Then we organized thousands more to submit comments until the extended deadline of April 15. We reached out with emails, phonebanking, newspaper ads, tear-and-send postcards to supporters, and tabling at Madison coops and around the state. We co-sponsored the March Forth to Earth Day’s eight Fridays of action against Line 5.
• An unprecedented number of comments were submitted to the DNR, of which 63% called on the DNR to reject permits for Line 5. Our volunteer team analyzed all 32,000 comments, and it’s clear that Wisconsin doesn’t want Line 5! Read our full report here.

Take action now to #RejectLine5!

Now that the commenting period is over, we can work on multiple ways to strengthen our movement, informing those who haven’t heard of Line 5, and activating those who are still on the sidelines.  Here are some ways you can participate:

• Table at festivals, farmers’ markets, food coops, and more, anywhere in the state (training, materials, and a buddy provided).
• Get signatures on our petition to Gov. Evers and the DNR to deny Enbridge a permit for the Line 5 expansion (can be done while tabling or online).
• Proudly display a “Stop Line 5” yard sign in your lawn or window.
• Write a letter to the editor to inform the public why Line 5 must be shut down.
• Offer some specialty of yours — event planning, song, social media, number crunching, arts and crafts, etc.!

Contact Phyllis Hasbrouck to volunteer!

Need some more background?

At the February 2 DNR virtual hearing, we overwhelmed the 20 pro-Enbridge speakers repeating tired Enbridge talking points with our 147 speakers, who testified from the heart, with passion and facts. The DNR asked for feedback on its long-awaited draft Environmental Impact Statement (dEIS) on the proposed Line 5 reroute, and they got an earful! Those who spoke in opposition to the Line 5 expansion highlighted a long list of flaws in the dEIS.

• Listen to the recorded hearing here.
• Want more background on Line 5 and all that it threatens? Listen to the excellent discussions below and then keep reading…

These programs originally aired on WORT 89.9FM and streamed at http://www.wortfm.org.

Photo: Monika Blazs