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News Release CONTACT:
Patty Dunn
Office: 651/292-8062
Cell: 612/597-2162
dunn@minncanproject.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, FEBRUARY 15, 2007
APPLICATIONS APPROVED FOR
CRUDE OIL PIPELINE EXPANSION PROJECT
SAINT PAUL , Minn . – The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) today approved Minnesota Pipe Line Company’s Certificate of Need (CON) and Route Permit applications for the MinnCan Project. The project will build a new 304-mile pipeline beginning in Clearbrook and extending to Twin Cities refineries. The new pipeline will strengthen Minnesota’s energy future by alleviating growing concerns over tight oil supplies in the Midwest while decreasing reliance on oil reserves located in more unstable nations.
Minnesota Pipe Line Company filed the applications in January 2006. The PUC approvals came after the company met the requirements of Minnesota rules including showing the need for the pipeline, complying with route selection criteria, and completing a route environmental assessment accompanied by 30 public meetings/hearings in the counties to be crossed by the pipeline corridor.
In August and September, a Minnesota administrative law judge presided over hearings in 14 counties crossed by the proposed pipeline corridor. After reviewing evidence and testimony from those hearings, Administrative Law Judge Beverly Heydinger released a report in November recommending the PUC approve the Certificate of Need and Route Permit applications*. “The proposed pipeline will benefit society by increasing the supply, efficiency and reliability of the state’s energy system,” Heydinger wrote.
“We thank those who participated in the permit approval process and are appreciative of the decision made by the commissioners today, which will allow us to meet our goal of building a pipeline that strengthens Minnesota’s energy future,” said Larry Van Horn, vice president of operations for Minnesota Pipe Line Company. “We look forward to meeting this goal while continuing our communications with our neighbors and building a pipeline that exceeds the state’s safety and environmental standards.”
Construction will begin this summer and is expected to take eight months. The pipeline should be fully operational in 2008.
About the MinnCan Project
Minnesota Pipe Line Company is owned by Marathon Pipe Line LLC, Flint Hills Resources, and TROF, Inc. The Minnesota Pipeline system has helped meet Minnesota’s fuel demands for more than 50 years by transporting Canadian crude oil to Minnesota refineries. While U.S. consumers and businesses today are increasingly concerned about having their energy needs met by nations in the Middle East and South America, additional crude oil is being produced from proven oil reserves in Canada. The Minnesota Pipeline system is at capacity and cannot transport this additional crude oil volume to Minnesota refineries. The MinnCan Project would expand the Minnesota Pipeline system to deliver this volume to refineries in the Twin Cities.
* The full report is available at www.MinnCanProject.com/ProjectDocuments.
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