St. Paul, Minn. (May 9, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans issued the following statement about today’s deadline for filing formal responses to the April 23, 2018, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) report on the Line 3 Replacement Project.
“We fully recognize that an important part of the regulatory process is to review the Administrative Law Judge’s recommendation and bring to light issues we find with it. We’re pleased that our member organizations are engaged in this process and continue to share their support for the certificate of need and preferred route.
“The preferred route strikes the right balance for Minnesota. Unfortunately, the ALJ’s recommendation for in-trench replacement along the current route ignores the testimony of many Minnesota voices, including evidence about worker safety and environmental protection. Heavy equipment activity on the existing Line 3 right of way introduces construction risks that would not exist on Enbridge’s preferred route, a route that offers greater protection to workers and communities.
“The ALJ’s recommendation would also require shutting down Line 3 for 16 months while it’s replaced. Shutting down this pipeline for that length of time would cause unnecessary harm to Minnesota’s economy with rising gas prices and lost jobs.
“Ultimately, the judge’s recommendation ignores the overwhelming evidence for the preferred route for the project and delays living wage jobs in Northern Minnesota. We urge the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to make a common sense decision to approve the certificate of need and route permit for the preferred route, based on the strong evidence supplied during the regulatory process.”
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.
###
Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Jobs for Minnesotans Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
218.590.6978
BusinessNorth
Ron Brochu
The federal government has reinstated two long-time mineral leases that it now admits were incorrectly denied in 2016 due to a legal error.
Twin Metals Minnesota began the process to renew two of its existing exploration leases in 2012. They previously had been renewed in 1989 and 2004. On Dec. 15, 2016, the U.S. Forest Service indicated it would not consent to a third renewal. The move, which came in the final days of the Obama administration, was felt by some to be a political move to prevent non-ferrous mining in Northeastern Minnesota.
St. Paul, Minn. (May 2, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement reacting to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management action reinstating Twin Metals Minnesota’s federal mineral leases.
“This official action solidifies the December 22, 2017, U.S. Department of Interior opinion regarding Twin Metals’ leases. Formally reinstating the federal mineral leases is yet another positive step toward the renewal of these leases and brings hope for restoring future mineral exploration by other companies interested in investing in the state. This action is welcomed by our members and supporters of fair process and economic development and job creation across the state. We are thankful for Twin Metals’ significant economic contributions to date in Northern Minnesota. And, we look forward to Twin Metals continuing to be allowed to follow established processes, including the renewal of their federal leases and environmental review for the to-be-proposed project.”
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.
###
Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Jobs for Minnesotans Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
218.590.6978
Duluth News Tribune
Laura Kircher
Our economy is diverse. Between mining, tourism, transportation, aviation, commercial, technology, retail, and hospitality, it takes a little bit of everything to keep the Northland running. The diversity is what makes us great. New businesses are finding success here because of our people and natural resources. We live in an amazing place, and business owners in all industries are committed to keeping it that way.
Our region is strongest when we understand and respect one another. It’s strongest when we find compromise, as state Sen. Erik Simonson of Duluth called for in his opinion piece in the News Tribune last month (Lawmaker’s View: “Let science, law, process dictate PolyMet permitting,” March 28). Our different industries complement one another. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
St. Paul, Minn. (April 23, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today supports the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) recommendation to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to approve the certificate of need for the Line 3 Replacement Project. At the same time, Jobs for Minnesotans disagrees with the ALJ’s condition applied to this recommendation to replace Line 3 in the same trench and instead strongly believes the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission should approve the certificate of need and route permit on Enbridge’s preferred route.
“We’re pleased that the Administrative Law Judge recommendation acknowledges the need for replacing aging infrastructure in our state,” said Harry Melander, president of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council, a co-founding organization of Jobs for Minnesotans. “This recommendation is a step in the right direction toward putting our homegrown talent to work with quality jobs that support their families and create opportunities for the next generation. We do disagree, however, with the ALJ’s decision to recommend the pipeline be replaced along its existing route – this is not in the best interest of Minnesotans.”
The Line 3 Replacement Project will create 6,500 Minnesota jobs and represents a staggering total economic impact in the state of more than $2 billion and annual property tax revenue of $19.5 million each year according to a University of Minnesota Duluth study.
“Safe energy transportation projects like this one are essential to ensuring Minnesota’s economy remains competitive with the rest of the world,” said Doug Loon, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, a co-founding organization of Jobs for Minnesotans. “We’re thankful to the thousands of Minnesotans who took the time to provide input in shaping this project, and we look forward to a positive decision on the certificate of need and preferred route from the Public Utilities Commission as quickly as possible.”
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.
###
Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Jobs for Minnesotans Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Bemidji Pioneer
Jennifer Smith
[…]
In addition to investing in our system, we also invested more than $2 million into community grants and sponsorships that support environmental stewardship programs, community emergency response and safety initiatives as well as non-profits who are working to tackle issues such as poverty, hunger, human trafficking and homelessness. Our employees also spend hundreds of hours volunteering every year supporting children’s programs, park clean up initiatives, food pantries and more.
Duluth News Tribune
Sen. Erik Simonson
I fully understand and unequivocally accept the desire for Iron Range communities to want economic development in their hometowns. Iron ore mining has been a part of their heritage for generations, and they believe that evolution to other forms of mining is only natural and ought to be respected. You cannot, and should not, disparage anyone for wanting to make their home a more-prosperous place. Opening this proposed mine would result in many new jobs — and if you think for one minute they won’t be good-paying union jobs, think again. I seriously doubt Iron Rangers would have it any other way.
St. Paul, Minn. (March 15, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the following statement in response to today’s Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) ruling that the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Line 3 Replacement Project is adequate.
“The MPUC’s decision to deem the Line 3 Replacement Project’s environmental review adequate is a tremendous achievement for this crucial infrastructure project. The review and analysis were accomplished in a thoughtful and deliberate process involving a wide range of stakeholders. Jobs for Minnesotans is thankful to the state and public for their roles in shaping such a comprehensive and thorough document.
This moment is the culmination of years of work and paves the way for more than $2 billion in total economic impact in Minnesota. It also reinforces the importance of investing in integrity-driven projects that provide long-term returns for our state. Above and beyond creating a pipeline that will serve our safe energy transportation needs well into the future, Minnesota stands to gain an additional $19.5 million per year in property taxes from Enbridge. We anxiously await the MPUC’s summer 2018 decision on the certificate of need and route permit and believe there is strong justification for a similarly positive outcome for this much-needed project.”
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.
###
Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Mesabi Daily News
Rep. Rick Nolan
[…]
Here’s the truth of the matter: Right here in Minnesota, we have the resources and capacity – better than perhaps anywhere in the world – to mine these strategic minerals and do it the right way. We have tremendous companies that are committed to creating good paying jobs for generations to come, and we have rigorous state and federal rules and regulations that protect our precious land, air and water. Needless to say, it is absolutely imperative that we continue to maintain and strengthen these environmental standards in the years to come, using all available science and technologies.
By way of example, the proposed Polymet project on the Iron Range has gone through twelve long years of rigorous approvals and reviews by numerous state and federal agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and State Historic Preservation Office, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, as well as public hearings with Minnesota citizens and consultation with our Native American tribes.
A Promising Future for Minnesota Mining
Mining People
Debra McCown Thomas
There’s excitement on the horizon for the mining industry in Minnesota, which is looking ahead to the promise of a big opportunity: an effort to mine the largest undeveloped copper-nickel deposit in the world.
Though perhaps not often in the spotlight, Minnesota is a big mining state–often in the nation’s top 5 in terms of the value of the minerals it produces–and has relied upon iron ore as an economic driver for more than a century. These yet-to-be-developed resources are located close to what has traditionally been the state’s iron-producing region.
[…]
The company closest to being ready to start work is PolyMet Mining Corp., whose NorthMet project is in its final permitting stages. According to the company’s website, PolyMet is “on track to be the first to commercially mine copper, nickel, and precious metals in Minnesota.”
Twin Metals […] is also progressing toward mining in the region.
Read More: http://miningpeople.org/archive/2018/2018janfeb_issue/index.html#12/z