While transporting petroleum products is essential for a modern industrial economy to function, every method to do so comes with a threat of short-term disaster and long-term environmental damage. What if a pipeline were to be extended across your land?
Join several speakers who have faced up to that dilemma in “Oil Pipelines Among Us: Balancing Environment and Economy” in T.B. Scott Free Library’s Community Room on Thursday, May 11, at 6:30 p.m.
Lawyer and author James Botsford, who lives in rural eastern Marathon County, will moderate a panel of speakers who have studied the potential environmental impact of pipelines and/or have spoken out against pipeline extension where it wasn’t wanted.
Paul DeMain of Hayward, who grew up in Wausau and is now the CEO of IndianCountryTV.com and News From Indian Country, will talk about the history of the Standing Rock standoff against the Dakota Access Pipeline and current Wisconsin Native American concerns with pipelines. He’ll also discuss briefly the natural resource extractive industry sector.
Interested in the welfare of others, Melissa A. Engels-Lewis of Wausau has supported environmental protection and peoples’ rights by working with the Concerned Citizens of Wausau against mining in the Penokee Hills, and by joining protests against frac sand mining, CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), and the NoDAPL (North Dakota Access Pipeline).
John Endrizzi of Nekoosa, Wisconsin Grassroots Pipeline Awareness’ co-founder, will explore the topic of eminent domain in Wisconsin, and how it was modified in 2015. He’ll also discuss the 80 Feet Is Enough initiative, a protest against Enbridge Energy Partners’ plans to expand existing pipelines in Wisconsin.
As with all library programs discussing public policy, especially issues of a potentially controversial nature, T.B. Scott Library provides a venue for open and civil discussion, so long as everyone is respectful of all views.
Refreshments will be provided, compliments of The Checkered Churn and First Street Coffee Station. Call the library at 715-536-7191 or visit www.tbscottlibrary for more about library activities.