Ninety-mile march to raise profile of DAPL lawsuit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 8, 2018, 9:00 a.m. CT

Contact: Ed Fallon at (515) 238-6404 or [email protected]
Contact: Christine Nobiss at (319) 499-8039 or [email protected]

Groups announce First Nation – Farmer Climate Unity March
Natives, farmers, environmentalists to walk 90 miles following DAPL route

Indigenous Iowa and Bold Iowa today announced that thirty opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline will march ninety miles from Des Moines to Fort Dodge to raise awareness about the landowner/Sierra Club lawsuit, which will heard by the Iowa Supreme Court on September 12.

The March kicks off on Saturday, September 1 at 9:00 a.m. with a press conference at the Iowa Utilities Board (1375 E. Court Ave, Des Moines). Marchers will then trek thirteen miles to camp at the Griffieon Family Farm (11655 NE 6th St, Ankeny). The March will finish in Fort Dodge on Saturday, September 8 with a rally and celebration at City Square Park, 424 Central Ave, at 2:00 p.m.

“The First Nation – Farmer Climate Unity March was initiated to support the landowner/Sierra Club lawsuit against the Dakota Access Pipeline,” said Bold Iowa director, Ed Fallon. “Through this huge challenge of walking ninety miles, we hope to raise awareness about how this historic lawsuit potentially impacts all of us regarding our land, water, climate, and property rights. If landowners prevail, that could stop the oil from flowing through Iowa. If they lose, it could blow eminent domain wide open for all sorts of private purposes.”

The March will be a self-contained community, with participants camping on farms and in parks each night. The March has its own “bathroom trailer,” complete with environmentally friendly commodes and solar showers. Marchers will use a solar collector for much of their power needs. The “Veggie Thumper” bus will provide food, much of it purchased from Red Earth Farms at the Meskwaki settlement. Each evening, there will be a community dialogue facilitated by a Native American leader and an Iowa farmer.

People interested in marching are encouraged to sign up on Bold Iowa’s website. The application, profiles of marchers, and more information can be found here.

Indigenous Iowa was founded by Christine Nobiss, Plains Cree-Salteaux from the Gordon First Nation. She is a decolonizer and also works with Seeding Sovereignty. One of the main goals of Indigenous Iowa is to raise awareness about the devastating effects that oil, gas, and coal have on the environment, particularly on Indigenous lands where government-backed corporate conglomerates practice predatory economics and exploit communities. Indigenous Iowa promotes the development and implementation of renewable energy through the worldview of Indigenous ideologies.

Bold Iowa builds rural-urban coalitions to fight climate change, prevent the abuse of eminent domain, protect Iowa’s soil, air and water, and promote renewable energy.

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