Enbridge responds to Minnesota Court of Appeals decision

June 03, 2019

Today the Minnesota Court of Appeals rendered a decision on the adequacy of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Line 3 Replacement Project. While affirming eight of the nine disputed aspects of the analysis and decision around the FEIS, the court identified one issue for further analysis.

We are disappointed with the court’s decision given that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) unanimously found the Line 3 Replacement Project’s 13,500 page FEIS adequate, based on the most extensive environmental study of a pipeline project in state history, affirming the recommendation of an administrative law judge who thoroughly reviewed the FEIS for adequacy. The FEIS is the product of a comprehensive interagency effort that included the environmental branch of the Department of Commerce (DOC), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Department of Natural Resources.

We are in the process of a detailed analysis of the court’s decision and will consult with the MPUC and other state agencies about next steps.