The sticky issues surrounding natural resource development and tribal sovereignty wrapped up in the national flap over the Dakota Access Pipeline are coming to Alaska. At least they will if one group has its way.
Alaska Rising Tide issued a press release earlier today announcing protests in Alaska targeted at Wells Fargo and advocating they end investment in ALL fossil fuel extraction. Their release said in part:
“Wells Fargo is a major investor in the Dakota Access Pipeline. We are demanding that Wells Fargo stop funding not only the Dakota Access Pipeline, but all fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure projects.”
“Indigenous people at Standing Rock, and throughout North America are leading the way. White supremacy, misogyny, genocide, and violent political repression are nothing new. By standing up for Indigenous rights, and standing in the way of the fossil fuel industry, we create the possibility of a future that heals the wounds of hatred, including the wounds inflicted on the Earth, the water and the climate.”
If you want to be a part of their protests in Anchorage, you better act fast. The group’s Anchorage Town Square protest is scheduled for noon today.
This is a relevant issue to Alaska given the massive natural resource wealth not only located within Alaska, but on federal, state, and Native lands. We expect plenty of folks in here might support standing with the “Indigenous people at Standing Rock”, but we wonder how many will go as far as opposing funding for “all fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure projects.”
Here is the full press release:
ANCHORAGE
PROTESTORS GATHER ON A NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
IN SOLIDARITY WITH STANDING ROCK
WHO: Alaska Native and Non-Natives
WHAT: National Day of Action
(6 events around Alaska, Thousands of events around the world)
https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/nov-15-nodapl-day-of-action-at-army-corps-of-engineers
WHEN: 12:00 PM
WHERE: Town Square Park
Wells Fargo is a major investor in the Dakota Access Pipeline. We are demanding that Wells Fargo stop funding not only the Dakota Access Pipeline, but all fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure projects.
Indigenous people at Standing Rock, and throughout North America are leading the way. White supremacy, misogyny, genocide, and violent political repression are nothing new. By standing up for Indigenous rights, and standing in the way of the fossil fuel industry, we create the possibility of a future that heals the wounds of hatred, including the wounds inflicted on the Earth, the water and the climate.
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Alaska Rising Tide is a group of volunteers as part of a national network
focused on confronting the root causes of climate change.
If your ‘wealth’ leads directly to the ultimate undoing of the planet,
how wealthy do you think you want to be?
That’s not wealth,
the possibility of a viable future for the planet is real wealth.