Sandpiper Pipeline... BEMIDJI, Minn. -- Roughly 500 people attended a hearing in Bemidji that may help decide the fate of the Sandpiper oil pipeline planned to cross northern Minnesota. Supporters and opponents of the $2.6 billion project put forward by Canada-based Enbridge Energy gathered on Wednesday at Bemidji State University for the third of five hearings this week organized by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, the regulatory body that has the power to approve or deny the project. Administrative Law Judge Eric Lipman presided over the hearings, including Wednesdays. Lipman plans to use every oral comment provided at the hearings as well as written comments submitted to the PUC as evidence while he compiles a report for the commission to consider in their decision. The first hearing in the series, held Monday in St. Paul, lasted for six hours as hundreds of people spoke their mind. The second hearing on Tuesday in Duluth drew an outdoor protest against Sandpiper despite frigid temperatures. On Wednesday, Lipman said he would time each comment to ensure each person stayed within four to five minutes and that neither side could run out the clock. The Bemidji hearing was planned to have three 90-minute sessions, for a total of four and a half hours. The first two segments did not have any protests, although local American Indian environmental group Honor the Earth did appear to stage a drum circle and dance outside the hearing during a recess. Although some speakers on both sides provided data points and source citations for their arguments, much of the words spoken Wednesday relied on emotional appeal. Sandi Krueger of Hackensack said a potential leak could jeopardize the areas key industry. The oil pipeline needs to stay away from our No. 1 commodity: Tourism, she said. A pipeline problem could, in an instant, destroy the reasons why we are here. Steve Bakkum of Alexandria, who said he had made a career of building pipelines, referenced the terrorist attack in Paris that killed 12 people earlier on Wednesday during his comments in support for Sandpiper. Crude oil projects here would help reduce reliance on foreign oil from potentially hostile sources, he said. Just this morning, they killed ... people in France for publishing a cartoon, he said. Is this where we want our money to go, or would we rather have it go to North Dakota, maybe even Canada? I have a hard time remembering the last time Canada or North Dakota attacked Minnesota. John Peterson of Bemidji, who said he owns a local surveying company that works closely with Enbridge, said Sandpiper would be an economic driver in the area and praised Enbridges attitude. Theyre very responsible people, very aware of the environment, he said. We see the effort Enbridge goes through. Adam Heinen, serving on the hearing panel as an analyst with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, said in his opening statement that Sandpiper would not benefit most Minnesota refineries as the pipeline would transport light crude as opposed to heavy crude, which the refineries specialize in. Minnesota refiners are not expected to benefit from Sandpiper, since they are primarily heavy oil operations, and their demand for light oil has remained constant, he said. However, the project was the safest option for meeting the need for oil when compared to rail and other transport options, Heinen said. Enbridge has said the oil from Sandpiper would be localized to North American users. Enbridge senior spokeswoman Lorraine Little said some crude oil from Sandpiper would go to Minnesota refineries. Sandpiper project manager Paul Eberth said even though much of the Sandpiper oil wouldnt go to Minnesotan facilities, that doesnt mean Minnesotans wouldnt benefit from the oil once its refined. Just because it doesnt go to the Minnesota-based refineries doesnt mean that refined products from other refineries arent coming back here, Eberth said. The area can draw from as far as Chicago and North Dakota. Eberth said Enbridge plans to add a new helicopter unit based at the Bemidji Regional Airport for emergency response and transport, although the new unit isnt directly tied to Sandpiper. Additional hearings on Sandpiper are planned for today in Crookston and Friday in St. Cloud. A trial-like evidentiary hearing is planned to take place later in January at the PUCs offices in St. Paul, Lipman said. Written comments can be submitted through Jan. 23. A final PUC decision on Sandpipers certificate of need is expected in June. dl-online/news/3650659-hundreds-pack-emotional-sandpiper-oil-pipeline-hearing-bemidji
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 04:20:39 +0000
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