A letter April 19 claimed that Minnesota doesn't need Line 3, that we don't use the crude, and that most Minnesotans oppose the pipeline-replacement project (Reader's View: "'Almost no one' wants Line 3 project," April 19). To help clear up confusion, here are numbers that don't lie:
Greater than 80 percent of Minnesota refineries' daily crude supply comes from Line 3. Minnesota refineries have used this crude since the 1940s. They provide Minnesotans and neighboring states with gas for our tanks and jet fuel for our airports.
The letter said most of nearly 72,000 public comments were in opposition to the project. But of 68,244 written comments in opposition to Line 3, only 1,923 were verified to be from Minnesotans. By contrast, most of the 3,742 written comments in support of Line 3 were from Minnesota. Over half of the opposition's comments were from states like California, Florida, Texas, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Michigan, which don't even border Minnesota. Visit the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission docket to read the numbers.
At minnesotansforline3.com, just since January, 13,446 Minnesotans have signed a pledge supporting Line 3. Support is growing.
An estimated 8,600 jobs are to be created in Minnesota for Minnesotans by Line 3, many well-paying union jobs that will be hired locally.
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More than 90 local units of government, local organizations, and companies in Minnesota have passed resolutions of support for the project. None of the counties Line 3 crosses has opposed the project. We want and need this project to increase our tax base, for jobs for our residents, and to support local businesses.
The Public Utilities Commission has voted unanimously four times to approve the project.
After more than four years and thousands of pages of analysis, it's time to replace Line 3.
Jason Kruse
Baudette, Minn.
