Local Leaders Say Line 3 Having Positive Long Term Impact as Work is About to Re-start

STRONG SUPPORT IN A RECENT POLL REFLECTS WHAT LOCAL LEADERS HAVE EXPERIENCED AS NEXT PHASE OF LINE 3 WORK IS ABOUT TO BEGIN

(BEMIDJI, MINN) After waiting for more than six years as the Line 3 Replacement Project went through the approval process and then seeing the dramatic, positive impact from the first four months of construction, local leaders say their communities are ready for work to re-start. They point to a recent poll showing strong support for Line 3 that connects with results being seen in communities across the region as examples of how Line 3 has delivered on its economic impact promise. After a planned, two-month pause, construction work will restart in June.

“Replacement of Line 3 not only is helping the county but the school district too as far as ongoing revenue from the property tax that it is bringing in,” said Brian Holmer, Mayor of Thief River Falls. “In addition to construction, it has also added maintenance workers. Thief River Falls has a maintenance operations headquarter here, so there are going to be added people that are going to have to maintain and monitor this. Almost all of our businesses appreciate the extra spending that’s happening when workers and others that are part of the project have to fuel up with gas, go to the local hardware store to get nuts and bolts, and whatever it may be.”

“It’s going to have a ripple down effect for years,” said Clearbrook Mayor Dylan Goudge. “Just because everybody was struggling because of Covid, people weren’t really working and others were laid off. Our restaurants were closed, and then they were open for takeout only. The bars, everything, has seen the trickle down effect. For the business owners and the people within the city of Clearbrook too – I should say all of rural Clearwater County for that matter – it’s helping everybody.”

A recent poll showed that a majority of Minnesotans not only support the decision to grant the project final permits, a strong majority also believe the project should be allowed to be completed. Sixty percent say that Enbridge should have been given permission to build the Line 3 replacement pipeline and sixty-five percent say that Enbridge should be allowed to complete construction work. A majority see the project as important to Northern Minnesota’s economy and three-fourths say Line 3 has been important for jumpstarting the Northern Minnesota economy.

The findings are from a new American Strategies poll of registered voters in Minnesota that was conducted from April 15 to April 19, 2021.

“The polling was no surprise to myself and a lot of people from our community,” Holmer said. “It’s clear to me that some of the things as a result of construction that are happening are pulling us out of the hole that we had. We were ready for this to move forward before Covid throughout the 6 years just anticipating this project. Having it finally start created the boost in the community that we needed. It clearly has helped some of our businesses to survive and expand.”

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Labovitz School of Business and Economics study estimated that that Line 3 will support 2,800 retail/hospitality sector jobs and 1,600 local supplier/manufacturer jobs. The study also shows indirect positive economic impacts will include more than $160 million in non-local worker spending on meals, lodging, and incidentals while working in the study area.

Construction work on the Line 3 Replacement Project has been in a planned pause for two months because of seasonal road restrictions related to the transition from winter to spring. Crews are preparing to re-start work again in June. They have already completed more than half of the project in the first four months. During the first phase of work, the project has supported a workforce that at times exceeded 5,000 people across the route’s 14 counties.

The effort to replace Line 3 started in 2014 during the Obama-Biden Administration as part of a review of America’s operating energy infrastructure. Federal regulators and Enbridge agreed to a consent decree that ordered the company to replace the pipeline. Enbridge worked with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and the agency’s robust review process by submitting an application to seek approval for replacing Line 3 in 2015. The replacement project was part of Enbridge’s integrity and maintenance driven program.

After more than six years of review by state and federal agencies, Line 3 is now the most reviewed pipeline project in Minnesota history. For people who have closely followed the Line 3 permitting process, seeing the final approvals happen was an important moment.

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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