It was supposed to be a chance for scientists, Indigenous organizers and leaders, and a broad swath of regional decision-makers at all levels to come together and see first-hand what the drought is doing to the lakes and rivers in northern Minnesota.
At issue is Enbridge's recent request to take almost five billion gallons of water as they work their way across the state with the Line 3 pipeline replacement project.
And with the most widespread drought areas in the state in eight years, those five billion gallons are looking more and more significant.
Then, in the middle of the tour, attendees came across a group of Enbridge employees working to clean up a frac-out - a spill of drilling fluid - in a wetland.
