St. Paul, Minn. (Sept. 12, 2017) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the Department of Commerce opinion on the need for Enbridge’s Line 3 Replacement Project:
“Jobs for Minnesotans firmly disagrees with the Minnesota Department of Commerce opinion on the need for the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Project. No state is an island when it comes to energy and critical infrastructure. As we move toward more sustainable sources of energy, our state is unequivocally dependent on oil to meet the demands of our state now and into the future. We cannot flip a switch and turn off our reliance on liquid fuels, so it is imperative we ensure our infrastructure continues to be safe for the environment and workers.
Line 3 is a critical piece of infrastructure that will be replaced with state-of-the-art materials and modern technology and trained individuals. It is an integrity-driven project to ensure our state can continue to safely transport energy to the people and businesses who depend on it for all aspects of our daily lives. Furthermore, our state will gain 6,500 local Minnesota jobs over two years and will benefit from more than $2 billion in economic impact, according to a recent University of Minnesota Duluth study. To say this project is not needed reflects a short-sighted outlook on the future well-being of business, labor and community in our state. This perspective will be shared as our organization continues to participate in the review process for this integral 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
JobsforMinnesotans@gmail.com
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978