JUDGE SUPPORTS SANDPIPER PIPELINE IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA
Business, agriculture, labor and thousands of Minnesotans who are enthusiastically supporting the safe transportation of North Dakota Crude oil scored an important victory yesterday, when an Administrative Law Judge found that Minnesota needs the proposed Enbridge "Sandpiper" line. The Judge, after reading thousands of pages of filed arguments, listened to dozens of hours of public testimony from hundreds of witnesses, the vast majority of whom supported the line, issued the order yesterday. The Minnesota Ag/Energy Alliance strongly supports this ruling and encourages the Public Utilities Commission to do the same at its earliest possible opportunity.
By: David Shaffer 4/13/15
Excerpt from Judge Lipman Recommendation:
“The hearing record makes clear that having the support of a willing pipeline developer matters – particularly if Minnesota is to obtain pipeline proposals that reflect sound financial, engineering and environmental practice. NDPC’s (Enbridge's) proposed Project does the best job in minimizing the potential impacts to human populations and environmental resources, as well as resolving known constructability constraints and operational concerns. It does so because NDPC has invested tens of thousands of man-hours determining the most appropriate features of its proposal.”