PUC Approves Line 3 Route
Duluth News Tribune
Staff
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Friday approved the proposed route for the Enbridge Line 3 oil pipeline replacement.
Read More: http://duluthnewstribune.com/business/energy-and-mining/4520089-puc-approves-line-3-route
Bemidji Pioneer
Rep. Matt Grossel and Dan Olson
The trial could have sent a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated here in Minnesota. Instead, it may encourage others to follow their example with potentially devastating consequences.
Read More: http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/opinion/letters/4513502-letter-editor-trial-could-have-sent-clear-message-activists?fbclid=IwAR1npJqCO_etBh8mg3CW6GI1RR7N-e1s_Y6Mekry_HqvVSFqcYWfcyliUAc
St. Paul, Minn. (Oct. 10, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in reaction to the dismissed charges yesterday against four out-of-state trespassers who admitted to tampering with an active pipeline:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is disappointed by the court’s decision yesterday. These defendants put themselves and the local community in extreme danger by (admittedly) trespassing and tampering with an active oil pipeline. Acts like this of any kind should be forcefully condemned and should not be the dangerous precedent that was set. We as an organization are committed to working with our allies to address current laws relating to trespass or tampering with critical infrastructure to ensure the continued safety of our communities.
We encourage citizens with concerns about infrastructure projects to pursue the many non-criminal avenues, such as the Legislature, the courts or lawful protest. Amateurs, who have no experience or training, taking unlawful action like trespassing and tampering with active infrastructures should be extremely unacceptable in the eyes of all citizens.
Minnesotans believe in the established processes, which are robust and thorough, to assess and ensure the environmental impact and safety of infrastructure projects, including pipelines, before construction and during the lifespan of its operation. We must expect anyone from outside our state to follow the law when they choose to visit and hold the courts accountable to reinforce those laws.”
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition representing business, labor and communities, supports statewide opportunities for prosperity and middle-class jobs from sustainable natural resource development in Minnesota. The organization is committed to the principle that our state can preserve both job opportunities and the environment for future generations. Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. For more information, visit jobsforminnesotans.org, follow @JobsforMN on Twitter and find the coalition on Facebook.com/Jobs4MN.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Editorial: ‘Necessity Defense’ Could Unleash Chaos
Bemidji Pioneer
Editorial Board
Valve-turners, as they’re called, are criminals. While their efforts may conjure a nod in the direction of peace and harmony, these people are not Robin Hood. They are, as proven in courts of law as well as courts of opinion, lawbreakers.
Protesters deserve the right to assemble. They deserve the right to peaceably make their point. They do not deserve the right to tamper with infrastructure or other private property to try to make that point.
Jobs for Minnesotans Statement on Pipeline Valve Turner Trial
St. Paul, Minn. (Oct. 8, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in advance of the trial in Bagley, Minn. beginning Monday on charges filed against four out-of-state residents, two of whom allegedly used destructive actions to trespass on an Enbridge pumping station near Leonard, Minn., on Oct. 11, 2016:
“Jobs for Minnesotans condemns acts of violence, destruction and trespassing of any kind and urges the court to send a strong message that dangerous actions like these are unacceptable. We cannot allow this particular event, which had the potential to cause vast damage and have a much worse outcome than it did, to set a dangerous legal precedent for others to put communities in danger.
In Minnesota, we believe in the established processes which are robust and thorough to assess and ensure the environmental impact and safety of pipelines before construction and during the lifespan of their operation. There are many non-criminal avenues, such as the Legislature, the courts or lawful protest, in which concerned citizens can and should voice their concerns about the environment. Thoughtless actions that put pipeline employees and community members in danger should not be encouraged by the courts, and should not be considered a “necessity” at any point.
Laws are in place to assure the safety of Minnesotans and our communities. We expect anyone from outside our state to follow the law when they choose to visit.”
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition representing business, labor and communities, supports statewide opportunities for prosperity and middle-class jobs from sustainable natural resource development in Minnesota. The organization is committed to the principle that our state can preserve both job opportunities and the environment for future generations. Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. For more information, visit jobsforminnesotans.org, follow @JobsforMN on Twitter and find the coalition on Facebook.com/Jobs4MN.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978