And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 00:50:01 EDT
Subject: MENDOTA NEWSFLASH
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Mendota Newsflash
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Dear Friends,
I attended the Minnehaha Watershed District meeting last
night and I am still reeling from what happened there. The Managers hired a
independent consultant for a hydro-geology study, this gentleman stated
that a study would take more than a year to do as they would need to
monitor the "seeps" within the Minnehaha Gorge and the water flow to the
Coldwater Spring, and that it would take two weeks to do a preliminary
study of all the material that had been submitted so far by MNDOT to see if
there was any red flags that should be addressed right away. At this time
the managers voted to grant the permit for MNDOT to start work immediately
on the 46th St area as they felt that this is far enough away from the
Creek to not cause it any damage and they would look at their consultant's
preliminary report in two weeks time and address any concerns at that time.
MNDOT used the same tactics that have used against the Parkboard,
threatening to sue the Watershed if they delayed their vote any longer,
MNDOT stated they had to start the project within a week or their start
time would be delayed until next year. Since they had already let the bids
out on this portion of the project, MNDOT would then be threatened with
breach of contract from the contractors, [if this is the case, then why
did they let the bids out before they had the correct permits to start the
project?] this is once again pressure tactics from MNDOT to get the road
started at any cost. If proper studies for the Hydro-geology will take a
year, then why did MNDOT wait until a month before they started this
project to apply for the permit from the Watershed? They also used the
scare tactic that a delay in the road project would jeopardize the light
rail funding, this is the same tactic they used against us in our quest for
legislation to protect these important natural resources. At the time of
MNDOTs press conference when they stated,[ in spite of all the Elders
testimony and affidavits, that there were no sacred sites in the path of
the road, and although they have no right to determine what is sacred to
Native American people] that the road and the light rail funding are
totally separate issues and that even if they didn't get light rail the
road would still be built. Time and time again we have heard "this road
has been in the planning for 35 years". How long does it take for our
government agencies to understand that if there has been opposition to this
road and it has taken this long, and they only are able to get their plan
accepted by constantly threatening law suits or applying tremendous
political pressure against any agency that would stand against them, that
maybe it is a flawed plan, They have had 35 years to find another way to
do this project, yet in all that time they have totally ignored any and all
opposition to this road. 30 Different citizen groups, representing
thousands of Minnesotans, a petition with over 10,000 signatures, constant
lawsuits filed by concerned citizens of the state. Nevermind that it is
illegal to build a road through park land unless there is no other
alternative. They do have the alternative to build the road on the current
alignment. If the Light Rail is being built in this corridor to get people
out of their cars and using public transit, then why do we need a road that
is designed to almost double the automobile traffic through this
environmentally, historically, and culturally significant area. This is the
legacy that the State Government will impose on the people of the State of
Minnesota. A major visual and perhaps environmental impact on a the first
State Park in this country, the desecration and destruction of Native
American Sacred Sites. This destruction will start next week. Although we
are constantly faced with the overwhelming political and financially
superior pressures that are being applied on MNDOT's behalf, of course
MNDOT has the money to do this by using our tax dollars against us. I will
always believe that the rerouting of this road is morally wrong, and I, and
I hope all of you will continue to do whatever we are capable of doing to
right this wrong against the Native American and White citizens of this
state. Pidamiya,
Love and Prayers, Linda
-
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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