On Friday, January 20, 2023, local climate justice organization 350 Chicago organized a direct action in honor of the memory of Indigenous activist Joye Braun. The event “Spark Joye, President Biden: Declare a Climate Emergency, and Stop Line 5,” was held as part of the Jan 20th National Day of Action in honor of Joye Braun. The action took place at the John C. Kluczynski Federal Building in downtown Chicago. 350 Chicago is a member of the national coalition People Vs Fossil Fuels.
Climate Justice Warrior
Joye Braun was the National Pipeline organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network. Braun was the organizational representative in the People Vs Fossil Fuels Coalition. The coalition represents over 1200 groups and organizations and is fighting to get the federal government to declare a climate emergency.
Braun was a committed climate justice warrior. She helped fight against both the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. Her teepee was the first to go up at what became the Oceti Sakowin camp at Standing Rock. Indigenous Environmental Network’s program director, Kandi White was a colleague and friend of Braune. “Joye is/was the epitome of a Modern Day Warrior. We will continue the work she was dedicated to in her honor; just as she would expect us to. Our sister will be greatly missed,” said White.
Holding President Biden Accountable
Secondly, during the action, the climate justice activists demanded President Joe Biden take bold and decisive climate action by declaring a climate emergency. If President Biden declares a climate emergency he would have the power to ban crude oil exports, stop the flow of fossil fuel investment abroad, and accelerate renewable energy and electric transportation funding. January 20th marked the two-year anniversary since Biden took office. It is also the 2 year anniversary of People Vs Fossil Fuels forcing President Biden to revoke the Keystone XL pipeline’s permit.
Chicago Drinking Water At Risk
Thirdly, 350 Chicago also brought attention to a local climate justice issue that could impact Chicago. Under Enbridge Energy Partners LLP (Enbridge) proposed Great Lakes Tunnel Project the drinking water of millions of people in the Great Lakes region including Chicago is at stake.
Enbridge Line 5 is an oil pipeline in the Great Lakes that pumps crude oil from western Canada to eastern Canada. Daily the pipeline moves nearly 23 million gallons of oil through the Great Lakes at Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge manages the seventy-year-old aging pipeline.
Basically, their proposed Great Lakes Tunnel Project is another environmental disaster waiting to happen. Enbridge will discharge five million gallons of wastewater into Lake Michigan each day the tunnel is being constructed. Unfortunately, wastewater release is not the worst of the environmental concerns. Enbridge is no stranger to oil spills and this project is a catastrophe in the making.
History of Fresh Water Contamination
In July 2010 one of the company’s pipelines ruptured near Marshall, Michigan releasing almost one million gallons of crude oil into Talmadge Creek. As a result, the spilled oil flowed into the Kalamazoo River, a Lake Michigan tributary. This spill was one of the largest inland oil spills in United States history. They contained the spill 80 river miles from Lake Michigan. 350 Chicago called on President Biden Biden to halt the permitting of the Line 5 oil and gas pipelines.
Braun made her transition on November 13, 2022, at the age of 53. She is survived by her children, Morgan Brings-Plenty and Durin Mundahl, and her grandchildren Donovan Guerrero-Le Beau Jr., Quinton Le Beau, Mya Le Beau, and Junior Le Beau.
By Ebonee Stevenson
Sources:
Indian Country Today: Joye Braun, the firestorm, dies at 53; By Kolby KickingWoman
BBC News: Why Michigan is trying to shut down Canada’s Enbridge Line 5 pipeline; By Leana Hosea
Featured Image Courtesy of Mark Dixon’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Top Inset Image by Ebonee Stevenson
Bottom Inset Image Courtesy of Josh’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
