For the 9th Week in a Row, Average Percentage of People in Line 3 Counties Needing Jobs Goes Up

WEEKLY AVERAGE OF WORKERS IN THE 14 “LINE 3 COUNTIES” WHO HAVE FILED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS IS NOW 23.9%

(BEMIDJI, MINN) While work on permits for the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement project continues, the number of people needing economic help where the project will be built continues has increased for the ninth week in row. The latest information from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) shows the average percentage of workers in the 14 “Line 3 Counties” who have filed unemployment insurance claims continues to increase and is now 23.9%. The Line 3 project is the most reviewed and studied pipeline project in Minnesota history. It would immediately create thousands of quality, union jobs and invest billions in communities across Northern Minnesota at such a critically important time.

“The news gets worse each week as these numbers go up and more people need to know there is hope that things will change this year,” said Antonio Franklin, Executive Director of the Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce. “Making sure Line 3 construction gets started this year is the only way we can guarantee things can change for the better for families and workers. It’s now too late for a legislative bonding bill to make any impact on our economy this year. The people who live and work across Northern Minnesota need help, hope, and guarantees that Line 3 will bring.”

The Line 3 project has been under review by agencies and regulators for more than five years. If construction is able to start this year, the project will immediately create more than 4,000 good paying, union jobs that will support families and bring new customers to area hotels, restaurants, and other local businesses. To replace the aging energy infrastructure, Enbridge will invest approximately $2.6 billion to support the construction work. As the company continues to plan for the project, Enbridge has already spent more than $80 million in local communities and to help train tribal members for construction jobs.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s decision to hold a contested case hearing on key permits for the project means the earliest construction could start would be mid-November of this year. In June, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted 4-1 to deny requests from the Minnesota Department of Commerce and other project opponents to reconsider its approval of both the certificate of need and the route permit. The PUC has refiled the certificate of need and route permit to continue the overall permitting process for the project.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is now considering if he will have the Minnesota Department of Commerce file a legal challenge to the PUC decisions. If any additional legal challenges are filed by the Walz Administration, it would likely create additional delays resulting in construction work being put off until 2021 at the earliest.

“It has always made common sense to replace something this important with something that is newer, better, and stronger,” Franklin said. “Knowing that this project will also lift up so many people and communities, getting Line 3 done is even more important. I truly hope Governor Walz will not only look at all the work that has been done to study and review Line 3 but also see how much people here are struggling. We need his leadership to say ‘NO’ to any more appeals and ‘YES’ to getting Line 3 approved so people can get back to work this year.”

Latest average unemployment insurance information for Line 3 Counties as of July 26th^st

County		Percentage
Kittson		11.1%
Beltrami		23.2%
Marshall		15.7%
Pennington		22.3%
Polk		20.1%
Red Lake		19.9%
Clearwater		28.1%
Hubbard		25.5%
Cass		32.2%
Crow Wing		28.4%
Aitkin		26%
Carlton		28.1%
St. Louis		28.9%
Wadena		25.2%


AVERAGE		23.91%

Percentage of people filing for unemployment insurance as a share of the 2019 available labor force

Data provided by Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/unemployment-insurance-statistics/

Contact: Susan Goudge
Susan@Minnesotansforline3.com | 218-556-3617

We can’t afford to wait any longer for Line 3

“It’s long overdue for those making decisions in this state to pause and look at the facts. We cannot afford another appeal. Too much time and taxpayer dollars have been used to repeatedly determine that Line 3 is necessary.

If we do not approve Line 3 and get started soon, the people of Minnesota will deserve an explanation about why the most studied pipeline project in our state’s history – that literally checks every box – was stalled at a time when our economy needs it so much.”

Rich Siegert, Rochester Post Bulletin

Minnesota needs Line 3 project

“Let’s get one thing clear: Minnesota needs Line 3.

Replacing Line 3 will bring thousands of jobs to our state at a time when we desperately need it. While our legislature stalls on a bonding bill and other forms of relief, how about Governor Walz and his administration making an easy decision to stop delaying a project that will bring thousands of jobs to northern Minnesota?”

Craig Gaasvig, Grand Forks Herald

Nearly six years to replace Line 3 is too long

“My family has farmed in Clearwater County for 85 years. As farmers, we take pride in our land and work hard to take care of the soil and water around us. We also take very seriously planning our farming operations, including rotating our crops and maintaining our equipment.

For 48 years, we’ve hosted six pipelines on our property and have always had a good relationship with the company. In 2014, we received a letter from Enbridge about the company’s intention to replace its Line 3 pipeline. Since that initial letter, we’ve worked with Enbridge on the easement for the replacement pipe and have considered our farming plans to accommodate construction.”

Brian Emmel, Bemidji Pioneer

Support Minnesotans by supporting Line 3

“In trying times like these, you would think local governments would try to work together to get things done. The fact of the matter is, they can’t — or they won’t. The gridlock in our state house is at an all-time high, and neither side seems willing to concede anything to the other. You would think they would care more about the people than these political chess matches; but for the most part, that’s not the case. Minnesota needs jobs more than ever — as well as the hope that things can get better. As we struggle with COVID19, the changes it has forced upon us have left too many of our businesses to drop like flies, with more people applying for unemployment every day.”

Dave Langfeld, Duluth News Tribune

Letters to the Editor Supporting Line 3:

We can’t afford to wait any longer for Line 3

Minnesota needs Line 3 project

Nearly six years to replace Line 3 is too long

Support Minnesotans by supporting Line 3

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