Line 3 gets green light to proceed

With the approval of a final stormwater permit by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on Monday, the Enbridge Energy Line 3 project has all the permits it needs to begin construction in Minnesota.

Line 3 begins in the Alberta oil sands in Canada and crosses a corner of North Dakota before crossing Minnesota on its way to Enbridge’s terminal in Superior. The new Line 3 would replace one that has been in use for decades and currently clips the northeast corner of Carlton County. The new line route was originally shifted to avoid reservation lands, including Fond du Lac, showing the line entering the county near Cromwell. Enbridge and the Fond du Lac tribal leaders agreed to keep the route that bisects reservation lands that straddle the Carlton and St. Louis county line for an undisclosed amount of money and with the agreement that Enbridge will remove the old pipeline.

Opponents say Line 3 threatens spills in waters where Native Americans harvest wild rice and that the Canadian tar sands oil that travels through the pipeline will make climate change worse.

A virtual open house on the project is set for 5 p.m. Dec. 9. Register at tiny.cc/Line3OpenHouse to receive a link.