IUOE Local 49 issued the following press release in response to Governor Walz’s decision to continue the legal challenge of the Enbridge Line 3 Project:
Responsible, large-scale privately funded infrastructure projects don’t happen often and don’t occur overnight. The process to evaluate and vet the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement project was a thorough one that balanced environmental, regulatory, community, and economic concerns. IUOE Local 49 is disappointed in Governor Walz’s decision to challenge the results of this process. However, we are confident that this lawsuit is without merit. This project will be built and the thousands of Union construction workers waiting to get to work will do so later this year.
The timing of this announcement comes as actions of environmental extremist groups plague our state. Just last week, extremists broke into a facility with the intention of shutting down an active pipeline and we received two reports from contractors that their equipment was vandalized because of their work near pipelines. Reasonable people can disagree about important issues, but there is no place for this kind of extremism, and we are concerned that the decision to move forward with this lawsuit will only increase it. IUOE Local 49 stands strong against this violence and cannot support policies that seemingly bow to these tactics.
Jason George, Business Manager of Local 49 released the following statement:
“Governor Walz is our friend and we support him. However, real friends will tell you when they think you are wrong, and on this issue, we have respectfully let the Governor know we strongly disagree with his decision. Continuing this lawsuit is bad public policy and encourages environmental extremism. We cannot support the Governor’s decision, and are disappointed today.”
