The Minnesota Ag Energy Alliance held a short program and citizen signing of the new upgraded pipe to be used in the Line 3 replacement at the North Fire Station in Crookston on Thursday. The event was also co-hosted by Enbridge, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49, Jobs for Minnesotans, Laborer District Council of MN/ND, Minnesotans for Line 3, Modernizing Minnesota, United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters, and Teamsters Joint Council 32.
Barry Simonson, Project Director for Line 3 Replacement, explained the Line 3 Replacement project. “Line 3 is an existing pipeline that Enbridge has owned and operated since the 1960s,” said Simonson. “Over the course of the last four years, we have been trying to permit Line 3 in Minnesota. We have built it in Wisconsin, we have built and replace all of it in Canada and we have permits in North Dakota. Really, it’s a safety-driven project. It’s critical infrastructure that we, as a private investment, have decided to replace Line 3 in its entirety.”
Enbridge and the organizations co-hosting Thursday’s event are holding similar events in communities throughout northern Minnesota said, Simonson. “We’ve gone through a variety of stakeholder outreach in various communities like we’re here in Crookston today promoting our Safest Way Tour,” said Simonson. “Which is what it says, it’s safe. The safest way to transport petroleum products is via pipeline. We’re here to talk to the communities about the importance of safely transporting crude oil as we do right now, and with the replacement of Line 3. But also talk about the infusion to the economy with jobs. Jobs in terms of local resources from the Crookston area, East Grand Forks, this whole region have worked on critical infrastructure in the past and people look forward to doing that in the future for Enbridge. But also, the infusion to the economy in terms of restaurants, gas stations, and lodging. There is going to be a large infusion of that type of spend(ing) from workers.”
Thursday’s short program included statements from Simonson, Crookston Native, and Minnesota Ag Energy Alliance member Chris Tiedeman, State Representative Deb Kiel and Crookston Chamber Executive Director Terri Heggie.
