WATCH LINE 5

Bayfield and Ashland County meeting to discuss Enbridge funding law enforcement
2026-02-24 09:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
On Tuesday, both the Bayfield County Board of Supervisors and the Ashland County Board of Supervisors is meeting and potentially voting on a cooperative agreement between the County Sherrifs Dept. and Enbridge where sherrifs would provide law enforcement services for Enbridge and Enbridge will reimburse them. Show up on Tuesday February 24th to voice your concerns. Also show up to the City of Ashland council meeting to tell them not to sell water to Enbridge. More information here.

Ashland County Board of Supervisors Meeting: Courthouse, 201 Main st. W, Ashland Tuesday, February 24th at 9am

Bayfield County Board of Supervisors Meeting Courthouse, 117 E 5th St., Washburn Tuesday, February 24th at 6pm

Ashland City Council Meeting City Hall, 601 Main st. W, Ashland Tuesday, February 24th at 6pm
More information on agreement between Enbridge and local Sherrif Departments: Services Enbridge is funding will include: 1. Assign officers to perform patrols of the Project site and surrounding locations on a daily basis to promote safety and wellbeing on the Project site.2. Control measures. Maintain the peace in and around the Project site, including assistance with crowd3. Statutory duties. Provide any required emergency or environmental services consistent with4. Coordinate with Enbridge Project personnel as required to perform statutory duties.5. Provide transportation, parking, and traffic control services.6. Project site. Respond to calls for service received through general dispatch for incidents at the7. Respond to accidents or incidents at the Project site requiring first responder services, including but not limited to administration of first aid and completing accident reports.8. Assist in the development and presentation of education-based programs to address public safety concerns regarding the Project.

Of exceptional concern in the agreement is Section G. which appears to highlight keeping all financial records hidden and it tip toes on all files being hidden. I.e. no FOIA allowable. This is an extra caveot to what they did for the Line 3 agreement. Likely because people were able to FOIA the financial records and then publicize them.

Of additional concern, is that it is likely that the County Board agenda does not comply with the notice requirements of the open meetings law. See pp 14 to 17 of this compliance guide. The law says that the agenda needs to appraise the public of what will be discussed and that if the government body can anticipate a lot of public interest then they need to be more specific. If that agreement relates to Enbridge then the agenda title should say that explicitly since the public is surely interested in an agreement that relates to Enbridge. https://www.wisdoj.gov/Open%20Government/OML_guide.pdf

Download and read the agreement here.

WCA- Public Safety Expense Escrow Agreement- Counties (final)

Line 5 Puppet Build Day
2026-02-24 17:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W Morse Ave, Chicago, IL, 60626, United States
Fight the Black Snake is a community-built puppet show raising funds for water defense in northern Wisconsin, fighting back against Enbridge’s line 5 pipeline and new reroute threatening the Bad River watershed. More info and ways to get involved at watchline5.com. Come build puppets with us!
February builds will have a lot of big puppet work, painting on the crankie scroll, costumes, and figuring out the exact narrative of the spectacle puppet finale:)
Big builds are going to be more technical focused, since these are the really large puppets. Crankie painting and costume work will likely be happening alongside all the builds. We’ll probably also be adding to & updating some existing puppets!
Location: United Church of Roger’s Park, upstairs

Ashland City Council Meeting - Tell them not to sell water to Enbridge
2026-02-24 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
The City of Ashland is considering selling water to Enbridge for the construction of the Line 5 reroute project through the Bad River water shed.

Show up on February 24th at 6pm and tell the council to say NO to Enbridge.

Can’t show up? Email the council members. Matthew MacKenzie – Mayor: mmackenzie@coawi.org Kevin Seefeldt – District 1 Alderperson: district1@coawi.org Shawn Brede – District 2 Alderperson: district2@coawi.org Peter Levi – District 3 Alderperson: district3@coawi.org Andrew Goyke – District 4 Alderperson: district4@coawi.org Jim Gregoire – District 5 Alderperson: district5@coawi.org Charlie Ortman – District 6 Alderperson and City Council President: district6@coawi.org Nancy Sztyndor- District 7 Alderperson: district7@coawi.org

#waterislife #stopline5

Line 5 Puppet Build Day & Rehearsal
2026-02-26 17:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)

Line 5 Puppet Show - Dress Rehearsal
2026-02-27 15:30 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W Morse Ave, Chicago, IL, 60626, United States
Fight the Black Snake is a community-built puppet show raising funds for water defense in northern Wisconsin, fighting back against Enbridge’s line 5 pipeline and new reroute threatening the Bad River watershed. More info and ways to get involved at watchline5.com. Come build puppets with us!
We will have our final dress rehearsal right before the show on Friday.
Location: United Church of Roger’s Park, sanctuary

And Again, The Waters Speak - A Puppet Show Against Pipelines
2026-02-27 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W Morse Ave, Chicago, IL, 60626, United States
The Pirates of the Buried Swamp present a puppet show against pipelines: “And Again, The Waters Speak”.
Time: Friday, February 27, doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm
Location: United Church of Roger’s Park, in the sanctuary
Price: Pay what you can, suggested donation $15
“And Again, The Waters Speak” is a community built puppet show about colonial wounds, and building connections from Chicago, across the Great Lakes, and to the Enbridge Line 5 re-route in the ceded territories. Most of us who live in cities have been severed from relationship with water. In fact, the city as imagined by empires cannot exist without this desecration, and many cities have been standing for so long that we don’t know any other reality.
Because of this, when people hear of extraction projects happening in rural places, places that have often been protected for longer, they rush to the front lines, because it’s easier to fight for something one may see as ‘whole’ or ‘pristine’ than the waters of their own homes. This isn’t to say that one is more important than the other. All our waters are connected, and by learning the stories of the waters we call home, by learning how to listen when they speak, we can stand in solidarity with those fighting extraction farther away from us, rooted in deep love and responsibility for every being we are connected to in struggle.
We chose the medium of puppetry to tell these stories because we wanted to use public art builds as a way to connect with people and get folks thinking about extractive projects both in and around Chicago, as well as in connection to the Enbridge Line 5 re-route through the ceded territories. Our goal is to draw attention to and question the settler colonial ways of understanding land and water, to share research about the history of the canalization of Chicago and the effects of line 5 done by others, and to put on a good show.
This is a story in a constant state of telling and retelling, and we are reaching out earnestly and with curiosity to people who have something they wish to share or correct. Please reach out to us so we can sharpen our minds together.
Thank You!

For the Love of Water - Opening Reception
2026-03-13 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Arts + Literature Laboratory Madison, 111. S. Livingston St. Suite 100, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
For the Love of Water is a grassroots resistance themed art exhibition in Madison. It is open from March 3 through April 18th.
As explained on their website: For the Love of Water is organized to educate and inspire people to work collaboratively to protect the water. The show is a collaboration between Great Lakes artists whose work connects to water whether through the materials and methods used or the stories told. Water connects us all, and as such, so do the threats posed by extractive industries like mining and pipelines.
Event Weekend Activities:
– Friday March 13th: – Opening Reception (6 – 8pm)
– Saturday, March 14 – Screening of Bad River Film (~6 – 9pm)
– Sunday, March 15 – Community Silkscreening event (10am – 1pm)
Related links:
– Event Link: https://artlitlab.org/events/for-the-love-of-water
– Link to Susan Simensky Bietila’s new book – Front Lines: A Lifetime of Drawing Resistance

For the Love of Water – Screening of Bad River Film
2026-03-14 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Arts + Literature Laboratory Madison, 111. S. Livingston St. Suite 100, Madison, WI, 53703, United States

For the Love of Water – Community Silkscreening event
2026-03-15 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Arts + Literature Laboratory Madison, 111. S. Livingston St. Suite 100, Madison, WI, 53703, United States

Animal Tracking Workshop
2026-03-21 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Detroit) | Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center Trails, 29270 Co Hwy G, Ashland, WI, 54806, United States
Join us in learning to notice and identify the tracks & other signs of wildlife to help protect and monitor our watersheds!
Tracking is an important method for monitoring the impacts of the work that is starting to clear for the reroute of line 5. We are much more likely to see the tracks and sign of an animal who depends on ecosystems and waterways crossed by the reroute than we are to see the actual animal. This gathering is an opportunity get comfortable noticing and documenting tracks and can help prepare folks to monitor reroute activities and submit pictures of tracks for expert support in identifying the tracks.
The event will be held in the trails around the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center.

Monitoring Field Day
2026-04-02 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | TBA – Line 5 WI reroute
Interested in pipeline construction monitoring along the Line 5 reroute? Join us for this hands-on activity! We will head out together to practice monitoring pipeline construction at several sites along the reroute. We will also record observations and upload observations to watchline5.com. To participate, please register at this link. You will receive an email with meet-up location along the reroute 24 hours before the event. The activity is expected to last approximately 3 hours.
The registration form allows us to coordinate logistics, carpool and to accomodate participants who may need to meet us along the way instead of joining for the full three hours. This is an invitation to learn together and share our experiences. Each one teach one!

Line 5 Reroute Hearing
2026-04-16 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Bayfield and Iron County Courthouses
Pack the courtrooms to attend the Line 5 Reroute hearing!
This hearing is in response to the Bad River Band’s appeal of the WDNR permit for the re-route of Line 5. It will address the Band’s request for a stay on construction while the court case is open. The Bad River Band is continuing to object to the WDNR permitting of the LIne 5 reroute and the case is now being heard by Bayfield County’s Judge Anderson.
There is no public comment opportunity during these proceedings. Instead lawyers representing Bad River and lawyers from the WDNR and Enbridge will be presenting their cases to Judge Anderson for a decision.
Location: Bayfield County Courthouse with live streaming to the Iron County Courthouse. No virtual option
Please see the flyer for more details.
Details on the rules set by Judge Anderson regarding public access and media access:
“Except for designated media representatives, the general public will be prohibited from operating any electronic devices..” ” Representatives of the media who wish to take still photographs of the proceedings must have permission from the Court prior to the hearing. “.. “No person, including media representative, shall be allowed to record by video or audio”
All media requests should be submitted more than 72 hours prior to the hearing. Iron County media coordinator:
Michael Baldwin, KBJR
246 S Lake Ave
Duluth, MN 55802
(218)481-6212
mbaldwin@kbir6.com
Both the Bayfield and Iron County courtrooms will be open to the public during any hearing at which Judge Anderson will appear remotely. Seating is limited in both courtrooms and the safe room capacity in each will not be exceeded. Due to the number of attorneys and parties and the need for a more robust video conference and presentation system than currently exists in the Iron County courtroom, in- person appearances by lawyers and parties will be in the Bayfield County courtroom.

With that, there is an opportunity for folks who are interested in taking on an independent media role to get a press pass. If you’re interested, email southshorewaterprotectors@proton.me
As defined by law (Constitution and Bill of Rights), journalists with an official press pass have additional protection while working at actions. The designation also provides for privacy related to their “source” of information. It is time a Water Protectors’ News Team be established. The first step is to identify a small diverse group interested in obtaining an official Press Pass. We have identified a legally registered news outlet willing to issue the pass. If you are a good writer, have the ability to move fast to an action/event, critically observe/document and are skilled at using the wide array of platforms for getting news out, you are needed!

Protest Against Line 5 (in St. Paul)
2026-04-21 16:30 - 17:30 (America/Chicago) | 332 Minnesota St., 332 Minnesota St., St. Paul, MN, United States
Oppose Army Corps permits as construction begins in Wisconsin. NO reroute around Bad River. Join us in solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty against Enbridge oil pipelines. No new pipelines in WI or MI.
Rally at 332 Minnesota St., St. Paul
Tuesday April 21st. 4:30pm-5:30pm
Connect with us: linktr.ee/threewatersprt

Water Protector Community Gathering
2026-04-27 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Stone Soup, 509 Main St W, Ashland, WI, 54806, United States
Join us for a guided exercise in mapping our personal and collective commitments this summer, so we can be intentional with our efforts and lean on one another for support! Bring your calendars and ideas for how you want to be engaging to protect the water.
Plus get and share updates on the Line 5 re-route.
Kids are welcome, childcare support offered.
Potluck is from 5:30-6:30; facilitated discussion from 6:30-8.
This is part of a recurring community gathering on the last Monday of every month to build grassroots capacity and shut down Line 5.
