It's Unanimous -- Minnesota -- Enbridge Line-3 -- March 16, 2018

The Bismarck Tribune is reporting:

Minnesota regulators approved the final environmental review Thursday for Enbridge Energy's proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline in northern Minnesota, setting the stage for a final decision on the disputed project in June.

The Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to declare the review "adequate," meaning it met the legal requirements, after ordering rewrites in December in four narrow areas dealing mostly with proposed route alternatives.

Built in the 1960s, Line 3 carries crude oil from Alberta through North Dakota and Minnesota to Enbridge's terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. Calgary-based Enbridge says the replacement, made of stronger steel, would restore its original capacity of 760,000 barrels per day and ensure reliable deliveries of crude to Midwest refineries.

Enbridge wants to replace the 282-mile stretch in Minnesota with a new 337-mile pipeline on a partially different route that would take it through the pristine Mississippi River headwaters region. Ojibwe groups oppose it because of the potential for spills in lakes where they gather wild rice.

But is it even needed?

The next major step will be when an administrative law judge releases her report on whether the project is needed. That's due April 23. The PUC will consider her recommendations when it decides in June whether to grant a certificate of need for the project and approve the route.

I hope we're not being set up for a Kerry outcome: I voted for it before I voted against it. But this is Minnesota.

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TransCanada Places Cameron Access Project In Service

 

I am absolutely, positively sure I posted this story this past week, but now I can't find it. Possible it was posted at an earlier site as an update. Be that as it may, here it is "again." From a press release:

TransCanada Corporation today announced its Cameron Access project has been placed into service in Southwest Louisiana, enhancing the company's ability to deliver North American-produced natural gas to high-value LNG export markets. 

Cameron Access involved improvements to existing pipeline, construction of a new compressor station and the addition of 27 miles of 36-inch diameter greenfield pipeline. Representing an investment of approximately US$300 million, the pipeline is capable of transporting 800,000 dekatherms a day to the Cameron LNG export facility.

The Cameron LNG export facility is currently under construction and scheduled to go into service at the end of 2019.

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Why I Discontinued My Subscription To The New Yorker

Actually I discontinued my subscription about a year ago. The editors were unable to move on. They suffer from TDS.

The cover of the current issue is just another example. I can't link it to Fox because the blogger app blocks links to Fox news stories.

But I'm sure you can find it if you want.