Minnesota Regulators Issue Key Line 3 Permits
Associated Press reported the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Natural Resources last week granted a series of critical permits and approvals for Enbridge’s Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota – clearing the way for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the remaining federal permits and putting the project on the road toward beginning construction.
Enbridge has worked diligently to meet the permit conditions required by Minnesota regulators, recognizing that such requirements are “essential for protecting Minnesota’s sensitive streams and wild rice waters.”
Line 3 was originally built in the 1960s and can only run at about half of its original capacity. Replacing the pipeline will allow it to move more oil safely and efficiently while also creating more than 4,000 construction jobs and millions in tax revenues. The updated sections in Canada, North Dakota and Wisconsin are already operating, but the Minnesota segment has been working its way through regulatory agencies and the courts for six years.
The Line 3 replacement project is an important component of our nation’s energy infrastructure network. Updating and upgrading the line is key to ensuring crude safely reaches American markets, keeping energy affordable for consumers during these economically uncertain times.