Edmonton, AB — The future of the Line 3 pipeline which runs from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin (passing through Saskatchewan and Manitoba) is once again in doubt. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has announced that his administration will renew the state Department of Commerce’s appeal to Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline expansion project.
“Walz’s decision is just the latest sign that Indigenous-led movements to create a just transition away from fossil fuels are working,” says Council of Canadians Climate Justice Campaigner Bronwen Tucker. “Diverse coalitions using a variety of tactics have stopped or stalled all but two of seven large-scale (over 150,000 barrels per day) proposed pipelines for oil sands expansion since 2005. Renewing this appeal is a clear victory for Indigenous rights, the water resources of the hundreds of communities along the pipeline’s route, and our ability to transition to a fair, 100% renewable economy in time to avert the climate crisis.”
In announcing his decision today, Governor Walz stated that projects like Line 3 “don't only need a building permit to move forward, they also need a social permit,” and that his government was committed to following “the process, the law, and the science.”
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should take a page from Walz’s book and listen to the science, directly impacted communities, and laws telling him that we cannot afford new fossil fuel projects, let alone those without Indigenous consent,” says Tucker.
BACKGROUND
Line 3
Marketed as a replacement for the existing Enbridge Line 3 pipeline, the project involves a doubling in capacity from 380,000 barrels per day to 790,000, and is the company's largest project ever. The new pipeline would also travel a new route for about a third of its path, crossing through Anishinaabe land that is critical for hunting, fishing, and wild rice.
Minnesota is the last jurisdiction needed to give approval to Line 3. In Canada, the project received final approval from the Trudeau government in November 2016 (at the same time as the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline approval).
The Council of Canadians
Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada’s leading social action organization, mobilizing a network of 60 chapters across the country. Through our campaigns we advocate for clean water, fair trade, green energy, public health care, and a vibrant democracy. We educate and empower people to hold our governments and corporations accountable. The Council of Canadians is a registered non-profit organization and does not accept money from corporations or governments.
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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians, 613-795-8685, dpenner@canadians.org. Twitter: @CouncilOfCDNs
