St. Paul, Minn. (August 18, 2020) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the following statement in response to the Minnesota Department of Commerce (MDOC) decision to appeal the Line 3 Replacement Project Certificate of Need issued by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC). The MDOC announced it will file the appeal on Wednesday, August 19:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is deeply disappointed by the MDOC’s decision to appeal the Line 3 Replacement Project’s Certificate of Need issued by the MPUC, an agency within the same governing administration. We firmly stand behind the dedicated MPUC Commissioners who have approved the Certificate of Need time after time and have spent the last several years diligently reviewing the project’s record.
“In this unprecedented time with limited state resources, this appeal is extremely wasteful, circumvents the state’s regulatory process and contradicts Governor Walz’s own words. Today’s decision undermines the thorough regulatory review process that has lasted for more than six years.
“As a 60-year-old piece of infrastructure, the safest option for our state, our communities and our environment is replacement. We are confounded that the MDOC would appeal the need for this critical infrastructure project further and we firmly stand behind the need for Line 3, the most thoroughly reviewed project in Minnesota’s history.”
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, Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
218.590.6978