There are no more excuses for Gov. Walz or any state agency to not support the Line 3 replacement project.
This past week, the administrative law judge reviewed the Line 3 replacement project and reached the same decision that every other regulator has related to this project. State agencies and Enbridge have answered all the questions and created the best and most responsible plan to deal with things like water crossing and protecting this water.
This most recent decision marks what feels like the hundredth time this project has been approved of. The State of Minnesota has wasted years of time and far too many taxpayer dollars reviewing a project that has been continually proved necessary. It is time we stop the stalling, grant the final permits, and allow construction on this project to start.
This project will not only bring over $2 billion of private money to our state, but it will also put over 4,000 union members to work. It will make sure that we are transporting oil through Minnesota in the safest and most environmentally conscious way.
The one good thing to come of this approval process taking so long is the fact that Enbridge had years to make sure every detail of the project was up to our state’s standards, and the level of scrutiny they’ve faced has undoubtedly led to excellent planning for the construction that is to come.
