Bus from Bemidji; 'Hold the Line' March

Description

Get on board and let's #stopline3! Free bus to Hold the Line March, Rally, and Hearing in St. Paul on Thursday, September 28!

On the day of the most important public hearing in St. Paul to decide the fate of the Line 3 pipeline, we the people will stand together to Hold the Line for Our Communities and March to Stop Line 3! Our climate, our clean fresh water, our wild rice, and our communities are at risk from this proposed new tar sands pipeline expansion across northern Minnesota.

MN350/Honor the Earth/Leech Lake District 3 office is running a charter bus from Bemidji/Cass Lake to St. Paul for this march. TICKETS ON THE BUS ARE FREE TO ALL, though you can optionally donate to help cover the cost if you wish. Just click "Get Tickets" above and select the price option you want -- the free ticket is one of the options. Travel details:

Departure and return points -- trip is Thursday, September 28 and does not involve an overnight:

• Target store, 2100 Paul Bunyan Dr NW, Bemidji, MN 56601- meet in the parking lot @ 10:00am, bus leaves @ 10:15am.
• Teal's Market, 604 Lyle Chisholm Dr, Cass Lake, MN 56633 - meet in parking at lot @ 10:35am and departs @ 10:50am.
• Arriving St. Paul @ 3:30pm 9/28
• Leaving St. Paul @ 9:15pm, Thursday 9/28
• Returning to Cass Lake/Bemidji by1:30am Friday (we're sorry, we know it's late!)

Schedule of the events in St. Paul:

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/114708432529823/
4pm: Jingle Dress Dancers & Rally at the Capitol
5pm: March to Stop Line 3 from the Capitol to the Public Hearing (1.3 miles)
6-9pm: Public Hearing on Line 3 at Intercontinental Hotel

If you have any issues with the website, further questions about pricing or details, or problems reserving your tickets, please inbox us at nancy@mn350.org and we'll follow up.

Please note that all bus times shown above are approximate and can vary based on road conditions and unforeseen circumstances. To help minimize these delays, it is imperative that you show up to the departure location at least 20 minutes before the listed departure time (show up by 9:40am/Target and Teal's Market/10:30 at the latest) so that the bus can leave at the time indicated.

Rise up and be in the streets! Demand that Governor Dayton and the Public Utilities Commission hold the line to protect our communities, and say NO to Line 3 pipeline. The fossil fuel industry's profits are not more important than our state's abundant natural resources. Water is life!

We will hold a rally at the Capitol and then march to the public hearing at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown St. Paul to make our voices heard. This hearing is the FINAL chance in St. Paul to show up and make a public comment on Line 3, and our decision makers need to know we will not let this black-snake pipeline poison Minnesota!

There are 9 public hearings across Minnesota in September and October: https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/show-up-to-stop-the-line-3-pipeline

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MORE INFO ABOUT LINE 3:

In 2014, the Canadian company Enbridge Energy announced plans to construct a “replacement" pipeline in place of the old and failing Line 3 Pipeline. Their proposal is not a true replacement, however, because they are proposing to abandon the old Line 3 in the ground and build a new Line 3 twice the size of the old pipe, carrying as much tar sands oil as Keystone XL. Furthermore, the route for the new pipeline is designed to tear through 160 miles of new corridor, under and alongside some of Minnesota's best wild rice lakes and the headwaters of the Mississippi.

Enbridge Energy, the largest pipeline company in the world, is responsible for the largest-ever inland oil spill in the continental United States, and has a long history of violations, fines, deception, and deferred maintenance. The people of Minnesota refuse to let this irresponsible foreign corporation destroy our climate, our wild rice, our communities, and our water! We've fought hard every step of the way, and we won't stop until Line 3 is denied.

Enbridge's Line 3 proposal here in Minnesota, is a bad idea for communities, climate, and water.

Bus travel Q&A:

What about food?

You are encouraged to bring your own snacks or meals for any part of the trip (and extra to share if you like!) and/or money to purchase food from highway rest stops. The bus will stop once or twice on the trip for very short food/bathroom breaks.

Are there bathrooms on the bus?

There is a bathroom on the bus. The bus will stop once or twice for short bathroom breaks.

What about outlets / wifi on the bus or in the lodging?

There may be a limited amount of power outlets and / or wifi onboard the bus, but we can't guarantee these amenities since they are dependent on availability at our charter company.

Is the bus comfortable?

The buses we charter are fairly standard motorcoaches with a capacity of at least 54 passengers. These are not school buses. There is space for luggage underneath and small luggage racks onboard above the seats. The seats recline slightly and have reading lights. Many passengers choose to bring a blanket or sleeping bag onboard the bus with them, since we do travel late into the evening (especially on the return trip) and it can be easier to catch a good nap with a blanket.

Is there parking at the departure location?

The bus will depart and return from a large parking lots near Target and Teal's Market, many people have been able to find a place to leave their car at or near this departure location, but we cannot guarantee space or assume responsibility for your car while you're away.

Does a minor (under 18) need to have parental or legal guardian consent?

Yes. All youth under the age of 18 must have a signed permission waiver from their parent or guardian in order to travel. We will provide copies of the waiver to be signed at the gathering point before departure, but this may only be signed by the proper guardian; please bring your own copy if you plan to arrive alone.

Who is organizing this trip?

This bus is organized by MN350 and supported with the generous help of the Honor the Earth and the Leech Lake District 3 office. It is open to all who would like to attend the Hold the Line March, Rally, and Hearing to Stop Line 3.

What's your refund policy?

We recognize that things come up and plans change. We are willing to provide a full refund for tickets if a request is made via email to nancy@mn350.org at least a full day before the departure date.

Should I book today or wait until closer to the trip date?

Book as soon as possible, today if you can. Once this bus fills up, we close off ticket purchases and even though we'd love to have you travel with us, we have to say no if we don't have the room. For previous bus trips, we have often needed to start a waitlist and have not been able to accept many riders from it. It's often impossible to add extra buses at the last minute (we have tried before!) even if we have enough people to fill one. If you want to join us for the 'Hold the Line' event, please book as soon as you can to guarantee a seat!