You have probably heard the news already (we’re allowed to be a little slow; we’re on vacation!): yesterday, a bunch of protestors from the energetic Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands (MI CATS) locked themselves to some of Enbridge’s construction equipment over in Stockbridge. Authorities had to cut them free and have arrested 12 people. The story is all over the news. Here is the MiLive version of the story. But there’s more here and here and here and here.

A couple of things struck us with particular force:

First, according to protestor Christopher Corrigan, he is taking action because “Governmental authorities have failed them by the lack of regulation and the ‘endless permitting of these projects,’ he said.” Corrigan is dead right about this. Our state and federal authorities and regulatory agencies have failed us. We’ve said this ourselves over and over.

Secondly, in a statement released to the press in response to this action, Enbridge said (among other things), “The company works hard to encourage dialogue with communities and residents in areas where it has operations.” We’ve discussed that matter so much over the past year, we don’t even have the energy to provide you a link. You can practically choose a post here at random and it will show how Enbridge does not work hard at all to encourage dialogue with communities and residents. If they did, this blog wouldn’t exist. So, unlike Christopher Corrigan, Enbridge in its statement is dead wrong.

Just sayin’.