Minnesota company Scheff Logging & Trucking, Inc. filed a lawsuit last month against eco-terrorists who vandalized Scheff equipment in Cloquett, Minnesota in February 2019. The vandalism cost Scheff $100,000, and included the criminals cutting hydraulic lines, causing oil to pour out onto the ground, damaging dashboards, and pouring sand, glue, and water into the equipment.
The lawsuit is against Shawn Etsitty, one of the vandals, his co-conspirators, as well as the organizations that trained them and funded their activities. It turns out that Shawn Etsitty, the vandal, was trained at an “action camp” which was funded by money from the McKnight Foundation, the Patagonia Organization, and the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, among others.
The same gang of eco-terrorists vandalized Casper Construction equipment in Carlton County on February 6, 2019. Police followed the gang’s footprints in the snow, and when the criminals were apprehended they found keys for Scheff Logging equipment, which implicated the gang in the other crime.
Etsitty and his co-conspirators were operating under the assumption that Scheff Logging & Trucking was clearing a path for the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline. Actually, Scheff Logging, a small family company, was doing a job for the county at the time.
The case marks multiple incidents of nationwide eco-terrorism related to pipelines. “This is not an isolated incident, unfortunately,” added Scott Dane, Executive Director of Associated Contract Loggers & Truckers of Minnesota. “Many small businesses in Minnesota have experienced similar disruptions and vandalism, and it needs to stop. The victims here are our families, our friends, and our neighbors – their livelihoods are on the line.”
Right now, despite the Canadian company Enbridge getting the required approval from Minnesota regulators, Democrat Governor Tim Walz is blocking the renovation and replacement of the existing Enbridge Line 3 pipeline. Not replacing the pipeline risks environmental damage, says the company. And the replacement project would employ about 2,000 private-sector Minnesota union workers.
Willis Krumholz
Willis L. Krumholz is a fellow at Defense Priorities. He holds a JD and MBA degree from the University of St. Thomas, and works in the financial services industry. The views expressed are those of the author only. You can follow Willis on Twitter @WillKrumholz.
