MN350 statement on U.S. Army Corps defense of Enbridge Line 3: "Time for Biden to lead"

(St. Paul, MN) -- Today in response to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to continue defending its water permit for Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline, MN350 issued the following statement:

“Today's decision is the Biden administration on autopilot, defending a Trump water permit for a massive tar sands pipeline that is actually indefensible,” said Midwest Tar Sands organizer Andy Pearson. “The climate crisis can't afford inaction on this scale. President Biden needs to take every opportunity to undo Trump's damage, and that means taking away Line 3's inadequate water permits. Line 3 would have the climate impact of 50 coal plants and violate treaties with the Anishinaabe. Biden can stop Line 3 immediately by revoking Trump's water permits, and we call on him to act now to honor the treaties and protect our climate.”

“Today’s decision by the Army Corps conflicts clearly and profoundly with President Biden’s promises to fight climate change,” said Communications Director Brett Benson. “At a time when the world is getting hotter and the scientific community is sounding the alarm on the climate crisis, it is time for President Biden to step up and lead by ending this Trump-era expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. Protecting our planet will take bold action, and bold action requires bold leadership. All eyes are on President Biden to do the right thing.”

The Line 3 tar sands pipeline under construction in Northern Minnesota violates treaty rights and will contribute the carbon equivalent of 50 coal-fired power plants, while carrying 760,000 barrels of tar sands oil from Canada every day, posing risks to Minnesota’s waterways. The 193 million tons of carbon dioxide emitted each year from the pipeline’s oil is more CO2 than is generated by the entire state of Minnesota.

Building this pipeline is diametrically opposed to the worldwide consensus that we need dramatic action to prevent the worst of climate change. A recent International Energy Agency report notes that to reach the goal of net zero worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 every nation would need to move much faster and more aggressively away from fossil fuels than they are currently doing.

• Fact sheet showing similarities between Line 3 and the Keystone XL pipeline, which Biden canceled on his first day in office

• New York Times article with background about the Army Corps decision