Today, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted to grant Magellan/ONEOK a pipeline route permit with conditions, despite every Tribal Nation that testified being in clear opposition to the issuance of any permit. All Tribal Nations that testified advocated for a no-build alternative.
This decision allows the pipeline project to move forward, subject to additional archaeological surveys, Tribal consultation, and cultural-resource protections before construction can begin. It does not authorize immediate construction, nor does it guarantee the protection of sacred Pipestone.
This decision is yet another example of Indigenous erasure. Tribal Nations made their opposition unequivocally clear, yet the Commission chose to advance the project. Allowing Indigenous voices to be heard while disregarding their calls for protection is not meaningful consultation.
We acknowledge and honor the many relatives, ceremonial leaders, Elders, and community members who showed up, some traveling great distances and representing numerous Tribal Nations, to stand in defense of sacred Pipestone.
Indigenous Protector Movement will continue standing alongside Tribal Nations and following the direction of our prayers and ceremonies. Our responsibility to protect Pipestone is rooted in our sacred relationships to the land, our ancestors, and future generations.
A state-issued permit does not erase our sovereignty or our responsibility to protect what is sacred.
INDIGENOUS PROTECTOR MOVEMENT
