Roseau, MINN— Last week a court reversed the decision to grant the Sandpiper Oil Pipeline a certificate of need, further stalling an already drawn out approval process. The lawsuit was filed by activist groups trying to block the project.
This decision, along with unprecedented moves by the Dayton Administration, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to separate the certificate of need from the environmental review for Sandpiper has led to these delays. Under state law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is to consider the certificate of need, the proposed route and its environmental impacts concurrently, and deviation from this precedent led to the lawsuit and the courts decision to reverse the certificate of need decision.
Representative Dan Fabian (R-Roseau) had this to say regarding the Sandpiper Pipeline project:
“This apparently illegal review process, along with unprecedented actions by the Dayton Administration and activist groups has led to substantial delays to the Sandpiper Pipeline, hurting workers, families and businesses in Northern Minnesota.
While improving the safety of oil transportation from North Dakota is important to our region, the Sandpiper Pipeline is also about job creation and generating millions in annual property tax revenue for our local communities.
Talking with folks in my district who work in this industry, they repeatedly ask why we can’t get Sandpiper approved and started. I, along with these hardworking individuals, are growing continually more frustrated with the politics and permitting delays that have unnecessarily bogged down this project. We all value clean air and water, and this project can be completed and operated in a way that protects our environment while creating more than 1,500 jobs for folks in our area. This is a win-win for our part of the state and a worthwhile investment.”
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