Dear Ohio Activists and Concerned Residents,

Many of us have been watching the events unfolding on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. The Native Americans who live on the Standing Rock Reservation are not willing to simply stand by and watch a destructive pipeline project ruin their water and desecrate their sacred land. The company behind the project is Energy Transfer Partners/Enbridge.  The U.S. government is willing to break treaties with the Native Americans in order to allow the pipeline to be built, putting corporate profits and greed above the rights of the people and nature on the reservation. We fully support and applaud the efforts of all the residents at Standing Rock

Here in Ohio we have events unfolding along the exact same path as Standing Rock. Spectra Energy, now part of Energy Transfer Partners/Enbridge, is attempting to construct a pipeline through Ohio (only one of many proposed pipeline projects). This pipeline will cut through many Ohio communities and counties including, Medina, Wayne, Lorain, Erie, Lucas, just to name a few and it will put tons of toxins into the air in communities along the path like Oberlin, Guilford Township, and Waterville. The risks of explosions and leaks threaten the water supplies of hundreds of thousands of residents, just like at Standing Rock. The people have sought relief and protection from the government, but just like the Native Americans, the people in Ohio have found that the government is breaking “treaties” with them as well. They are breaking the treaty with the people by violating our rights under the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. and Ohio Constitutions.

The government is more concerned about protecting the profits of the pipeline company over the rights of the people and our environment. The Ohio Supreme Court is keeping a county charter OFF the ballot in November that the people of Medina County wrote and circulated to stop the pipeline from destroying and desecrating their lands and families. It is the people’s RIGHT to alter and reform government that is NOT PROTECTING them.

The people of Ohio share much in common with the Native Americans at Standing Rock. The difference is that the people in North Dakota KNOW THEY LIVE ON A RESERVATION and the people in Ohio are just realizing it now.  There are currently 3 more county charters waiting for the Supreme Court to decide their fate any day now to allow the people a voice on November ballots to protect their communities and water.

If you want to support efforts here in Ohio to put people and nature above profit and greed and show people everywhere that WE WILL STAND TOGETHER, then join us in Columbus, Ohio on Monday, Sept. 12 on the lawn of the State House (at E. State and S. High Streets) at 11:30. Bring a sign stating why you stand for the rights of people over pipelines, clean water and air over profits, solidarity with people in North Dakota…..whatever you feel you want to express about the current situation and how we the people of Ohio will not accept the destruction any more than the Native Americans at Standing Rock.

If you have questions, please contact me at tish@celdf.org or call me at 440-838-5272. 

Tish O'Dell CELDF Ohio Organizer OHCRN State Coordinator 440-838-5272