In Setback for Enbridge, PUC Rules Line 3 Review is Inadequate

St. Paul, MN -- In yet another setback for Enbridge, the company behind the proposed Line 3 tar sands pipeline, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ruled today that the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) on the pipeline is inadequate. The Department of Commerce must answer narrow questions about karst topography and clarify shortcomings in the analysis.

Minnesotans and several state agencies had raised serious concerns about the FEIS, which included numerous calculation errors, used Enbridge’s own data without any independent verification, and failed to adequately explore alternatives to this pipeline expansion or any no-build scenario. The Commission sidestepped these issues.

Environmentalists, Tribes, and landowners have called out flaws in the Environmental Impact Statement which is a critical part of evaluating the permits Enbridge needs to build Line 3 in Minnesota.  In spite of the FEIS, the Department of Commerce later submitted testimony to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) concluding that there is no need for Line 3.

In response, Natalie Cook, Chapter Representative for the Sierra Club North Star Chapter, issued the following statement:

“Today’s ruling is a good step. Minnesotans deserve a full accounting of the environmental risks associated with this dangerous and unnecessary project. We agree with the ruling that this environmental impact statement is inadequate, but have concerns that extend beyond those raised in today's decision. We urge the PUC to take further steps to ensure a complete analysis is done.”