The Minnesota Senate passed legislation on Thursday to prevent Minnesota taxpayers from paying for the state’s appeal of Enbridge Line 3. The bill, co-authored by Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids), comes just over a month after Governor Walz and the Department of Commerce announced that they would renew an appeal of the pipeline replacement project planned for Northern Minnesota.

“Governor Walz’s and his Department of Commerce would have you believe that the current appeal of the Enbridge Line 3 replacement project is just status quo or just another box in a necessary checklist to get this project approved,” said Senator Eichorn. “The reality of the situation could not be further from the truth. Governor Walz on this issue, and many issues as of late, is appealing the rancorous calls of a vocal minority. Cozying up to environmental extremists and his Lieutenant Governor, Walz has made a choice go against reason, Greater Minnesota, and a significant years-long review that has overwhelmingly determined the need for this project.”

“So when we’re spending taxpayer dollars to sue ourselves on this issue I think it’s kind of obvious why there’s a lot of people on both sides of the aisle, and especially in the middle, that have a problem with that,” Continued Eichorn. “And so that’s why I think it’s important that we do something about that.”

Earlier this month Enbridge announced that it would delay its construction timeline on the project due to slower-than-expected permitting in Minnesota. Instead of being operational in 2019 Enbridge has said that the pipeline would be up and running in the second half of 2020.

Each week that the “pipeline limbo” continues brings more concerns for safety officials in Minnesota as they struggle to cope with the increased oil train traffic coming in from Canada. That coupled with the continued operation of the current aging pipeline raise significant environmental safety concerns in the state that would all but eliminated with the completion of the new project.