PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Wolff, Advocacy Director
Minnesota Environmental Partnership
sara@mepartnership.org, 651-491-1229
Department of Commerce concludes that Line 3 Pipeline is not needed in Minnesota
This afternoon the Department of Commerce submitted testimony to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission concluding that Enbridge has not established a need for the proposed Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota as required under state rules.
The testimony states that “in light of the serious risks and effects on the natural and socioeconomic environments of the existing Line 3 and the limited benefit that the existing Line 3 provides to Minnesota refineries, it is reasonable to conclude that Minnesota would be better off if Enbridge proposed to cease operations of the existing Line 3 without any new pipeline being built.”
Steve Morse, Executive Director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, said, “We commend the Department of Commerce for taking a hard look at the data and carefully considering the criteria that are in law for this type of project. The Department found that this pipeline is not needed for Minnesota, that it does not benefit Minnesota, and is not good for Minnesota.”
Of note, Morse said, is that according to the testimony, Enbridge did not provide a “sufficient analysis of future demand, and [the oil market analysis prepared by London Economics International, a global energy economics consulting firm] independently finds that ‘Minnesota demand for refined products appears unlikely to increase in the long term.’”
“The age of growth in fossil fuel demand is over,” Morse said. “We don’t need increased fossil fuel capacity.” Instead, “We need to get about the business of abandoning and cleaning up the existing Line 3.”
Enbridge Energy, a Canadian Energy Company, is proposing to construct a new oil pipeline in Minnesota to replace its existing Line 3 pipeline. The new pipeline would be almost twice as large as the existing pipeline and thus enable it to carry dirtier and heavier Canadian tar sands oil – 760,000 barrels per day, through Minnesota’s most pristine waters, watersheds and tribal communities.
Intensive efforts to educate Minnesotans about the harmful impacts of this project have been carried out by a broad and diverse coalition of Line 3 corridor landowners, Indian tribes and tribal communities, concerned citizens and organizations across the state.
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About Minnesota Environmental Partnership
Minnesota Environmental Partnership is a coalition of more than 70 environmental, conservation, and civic organizations working together for clean water, clean energy and protection of our Great Outdoors. The Minnesota Environmental Partnership engages state leaders, unites environmental efforts and helps citizens take action for the Minnesota they love.
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