August 13, 2021
Barbara With
Kent Brock was one of several concerned citizens who testified at the Park Rapids City Council meeting Monday night to hold them accountable for selling millions of gallons of Park Rapids city water to Enbridge for use in their Line 3 project without oversight or public consent. (see video below)
After the the Minnesota DNR pulled several of Enbridges dewatering permits, the Canadian corporation went to the Park Rapids City Council and struck a deal to begin dewatering the city of millions of gallons of water via public fire hydrants.
Brock has documented at least four metered hydrants with pumps attached being serviced by Enbridge trucks. Following one the trucks from Park Rapids, Brock was led to an Enbridge “man camp” in Backus—the temporary residences that Enbridge sets up for out-of-state oil workers—a city 40 miles away.
When confronted with questions like, who is monitoring the water and how much is Enbridge allowed to take, Council Member Randall replied, “You need to recognize that we, as council members, we may not know the information.”
“So in other words,” Kent replied, “in as big a deal as this is, where they’re going to take a huge amoung of water out of our aquifers, and you all don’t know about it?”
All city council members remained silent.
After being asked by Mayor Ryan Leckner to share the details of the deal, City Administrator Angel Weasner admitted that the city is indeed selling water to Enbridge.
According to Weasner, Enbridge is being allowed to buy water at a bulk rate, just like any other “local” business, even though Enbridge is a Canadian corporation. “It is a bulk rate, but we are still charging them for every drop that they purchase.”
Brock replied, “I’m just concerned, if they take 6 million, 10 million, 20 million gallons … that’s not a concern?”
Mayor Leckner assured Brock that there is not a water shortage in Park Rapids despite Hubbard County suffering from extreme drought, according to US Drought Monitor.
Florence Hedeen, a 47-year resident of Park Rapids, also spoke to the Council about the climate crisis. In an interview after the meeting, she said, “If I understand it correctly, Enbridge came to the city [of Park Rapids] because they could no longer get it from the rivers and streams that have been feeding it because they are too compromised.”
“Now they’re doing it to the city.”
The next Park Rapids City Council meeting is Tuesday, August 24 at 6 PM. For more information, contact City Administrator Angel Weasner at 218-732-3163 ext 48, or email aweasner@arvig.net.
Email the City Council Members:
Mayor Ryan Leckner
rjleckner@live.com
Tom Conway
conwaythomasj@aol.com
Erika Randall
erikachrandall@hotmail.com
Liz Stone
lzstone301@gmail.com
Robert Wills
rawills14@gmail.com
Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative 
For all you that lets Enbridge rip you off !!!
Remember what they did to Michigan on the Kalamazoo river, they say the clean it up !!!! That’s a laugh
Highly disappointed in the person or persons who made this decision without consulting the appropriate people. P.R. Fire Dept, people who pay taxes to Park Rapids, the next wildfire that’s inevitably going take place, considering the climate change that’s happening and severe conditions around the entire state. So disgusted. Not giving a thought to the people who make their living with water. So very sad. Time to sell.
Reblogged this on accidentalactivistsite and commented:
vote them out