Why is building the Line 3 Replacement Project important to Minnesota?

One immediate reason is jobs. It will bring thousands of good-paying jobs and billions of dollars to our state, and with unemployment being on a steady rise since the start of the COVID pandemic, this is exactly what we need.

The Line 3 project is also 100% privately funded by Enbridge. No taxpayer money will be used to build it, yet we all get the benefits.

This project will provide jobs that put money in the pockets of skilled union workers, and the families of those who work and live along the construction route. It will also ensure that we have a safe and reliable source of energy for many years to come. This pipeline will be replacing a pipeline that is over 60 years old with the newest in pipeline technology.

I understand that some think we can simply raise taxes and keep paying people to stay home. That’s a very short-term solution at best that can’t continue much further without negative impact. Projects like the Line 3 replacement project offer a real solution to the challenges we face, boosting the economy in our state and putting thousands to work.

We need to build Line 3 and we need to get started now. Beltrami and other counties along the Line 3 route are eager to see some leadership in moving this project forward.

Jim Lucachick is a Beltrami County commissioner.

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