ST. PAUL, MN—On Friday, 76 legislators from the Minnesota House and Senate sent a bipartisan letter to Governor Tim Walz urging support for the Line 3 replacement pipeline project, and to drop state-backed legal challenges to the unanimous decision by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to grant the certificate of need for the project.
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Court of Appeals dismissed appeals from various environmental groups and the Minnesota Department of Commerce. As a result, the Walz administration must decide whether to re-file a petition for reconsideration, the first step toward any potential appeal. That decision must be made by next Tuesday, February 12.
“The Line 3 pipeline project has cleared every environmental and regulatory hurdle and needs to move forward without any more delays," said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa. "A newer, safer pipeline will bring good-paying jobs to northern Minnesota.”
"Minnesota has waited long enough," added House Republican Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. "We urge Governor Walz to trust our experts at the PUC, and stand on the side of Minnesota jobs and Minnesota communities who stand to benefit tremendously from this project. Let's drop the legal challenges and move forward."
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