Friends,
I hope you had a fun and safe Independence Day and that your summer is treating you well. I had to miss a number of Independence Day festivities as I was down in Texas walking my youngest daughter down the aisle over the holiday week. Below is a quick update and I hope you continue to have a great summer!
Rep. Grossell's daughter, Emily, married her husband, Kody, at a ceremony in Texas this July.
Line 3 Proposal Gets PUC Approval
There was good news from St. Paul earlier this summer as the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) both approved a certificate of need for replacing the aging Line 3 pipeline and agreed to follow much of the preferred route across the northern third of Minnesota.
The new $2.6 billion Line 3 is moving closer to reality as a replacement for the original pipeline, which was installed in the 1960s and is showing serious signs of decay. It currently is operating at a little more than half of its capacity due to safety reasons. The new line would stretch 340 miles across Minnesota from Alberta to the Enbridge terminal in Superior, Wis. The path approved by the PUC mainly follows Enbridge’s preferred route, with a modification to avoid Big Sandy Lake, which is nine miles north of McGregor in Aitkin County.
Experts agree that replacing the pipeline is the best way to protect Minnesota waters. Unfortunately, too many extreme environmentalists can’t accept this fact and have threatened violent protests to disrupt construction. I hope everyone can come together, condemn threats of violence, and stand with the Minnesota laborers who will be building this much-needed pipeline.
Recovering from Recent Storms
A disaster declaration has been issued for 36 counties in Minnesota, including Beltrami and Clearwater.
Cleaning up after these storms will be a long process. Hiring trusted local businesses from our communities is the best way to protect yourself from falling victim to scammers who may try to prey on the situation. If at all possible, I encourage people to rely on reputable, local services during restoration projects.
Residents in the counties subject to the disaster declaration also may be eligible for low- or no-interest loans to help with recovery efforts. Farmers can apply for the zero-percent Disaster Loan Program offered by the Minnesota Rural Finance Authority. The program is designed to help cover clean-up cost, repair and replacement costs not covered by insurance.
Call the RFA at (651) 201-6004 or visit www.mda.state.mn.us for more information.
The counties receiving the disaster declaration include Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Blue Earth, Brown, Cass, Carlton, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Jackson, Kittson, Lake, Lyon, Mahnomen, Martin, Mille Lacs, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Stearns, Stevens, St. Louis, Waseca and Watonwan.
Please continue to stay in touch to share your thoughts or concerns. My phone number is 651-296-4265 or you can email me at rep.matt.grossell@house.mn.
Have a great week and God Bless!
Matt