Pimicikamak Nation Protest-Minnesota Legislature Takes Action
by Fresh EnergyManitoba, Canada
On April 16 the Canadian Broadcast Company reported that the Pimicikamak Nation of Cross Lake, Manitoba has been camped out protesting at a dam generating station. Pimickamak members are protesting the lack of implementation of the Northern Flood Agreement—an agreement between First Nations, Manitoba Hydro, and the Canadian government that was supposed to resolve issues caused by flooding of native land by dams more than 30 years ago.
Pimicikamak official Mervin Garrick said, “We’ve been very, very patient, but after 30 years of waiting with nothing really concrete happening, people have to take action. We have to try and make the government responsible and get them to recognize and implement the agreements that were signed with First Nations.”
Saint Paul, Minnesota
On April 17, the Minnesota legislature passed an amendment to the Environment & Energy Omnibus Finance bill that would require Xcel Energy, the largest importer of Manitoba Hydro electricity, to monitor and report on Northern Flood Agreement as part of their resource planning process.
