Forwarded from Stacy Volk of SOUL
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 23:32:43 -0600
From: Stacy Volk <cen21697@centuryinter.net>

Dear American Friends and Supporters:

Urgent Alert: Please urge your members to attend an important MPUC
hearing Thursday, November 30, 2000 in St. Paul

On Thursday, November 30 at 9:30 a.m. in the large hearing room at 121

Seventh Place East, Suite 350, St. Paul, your Public Utilities Commission will answer three questions:

1. Should the Commission initiate an investigation into the
socio-economic costs associated wtih large hydro generation projects?

2. If so, should the commission stay consideration of the Manitoba Hydro bid until the investigation of socio-economic costs is completed?

If so, should the other two final selection (Black Hills Corporation and Northern Alternative Energy) be allowed to proceed?

This is a critically important opportunity for you to decide whether
Manitoba Hydro meets Minnensota's humana rights and environmental
standards.

This hearing is happening because of the accumulation of your concern and commitment during the last two years.

We ask: who will speak out for the environment and indigenous peoples
concerning this "moral and ecological catastrophe" (these are the words of a 1999 church-sponsored inquiry into our siutation)? 

We people of Pimicikamak Cree Nation who cannot afford to travel to St. Paul, ask you to speak out, where and when it counts, on our behalf and on behalf of the fragile boreal environment.

Please, if at all possible, arrange to attend this critical PUC meeting this Thursday in St. Paul, and indicate in advance to the PUC your
organization's intent to do so, and arrange to make a brief intervention from the floor.

The issue is clear: support a full investigation into all of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the hydro power being sold to you by Xcel, and a halt to decisions to further import from Manitoba Hydro until such an investigation is complete.

Please also arrange that one or more of the members of your organization attend this meeting to support by their presence our efforts to persuade the PUC to conduct such a full investigation of the hydro power being sold to you by Xcel.

Yours very sincerely,
Chief John Miswagon

PS: for further information on the issue in general please visit the
excellent American Friends of PCN website at
http://www.unplugmanitobahydro.org