DNR: More groundwater released by pipeline aquifer ruptures

Mar 22, 2022, 7:36 AM | Updated: 9:33 am

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The damage to public groundwater resources in Minnesota from missteps during construction of the Line 3 oil pipeline is more severe than previously known, state environmental regulators said.

Enbridge Energy crews ruptured three groundwater aquifers while building the 340-mile (550-kilometer) pipeline across northern Minnesota last year and the company faces sanctions as a result, the state Department of Natural Resources said.

“The DNR continues to work on a comprehensive enforcement resolution, with the goal of addressing restoration, mitigation and additional penalties associated with the three breach locations,” the agency said in a statement Monday after completing its investigation into the aquifer breaches.

The DNR has not specified the penalties being considered.

The punctures led to nearly 300 million gallons of groundwater flowing to the surface, and the most serious breach occurred near the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in St. Louis County. That rupture has discharged more than 200 million gallons so far and the groundwater continues to flow, the Star Tribune reported.

The first breach occurred during the winter of 2021 at a major pipeline junction near Clearbrook, although regulators did not learn about it for several months. About 50 million gallons of groundwater flowed from that rupture, endangering a rare wetland area nearby. State regulators ordered Enbridge to pay $3.3 million and fix the damage.

The DNR learned about a second breach Aug. 5. The breach occurred a few days earlier near LaSalle Creek in Hubbard County and discharged an estimated 9.8 million gallons of groundwater. That flow also has been stopped, the DNR said.

Regulators learned about the third breach Sept. 15, about five days after it was identified. That rupture occurred very close to the Fond du Lac Band’s reservation boundary. It had been gushing about 330 gallons of groundwater per minute but the flow has been reduced to about 6 gallons per minute, according to the DNR.

Enbridge has repaired two of the three puncture sites and repairs at the site affecting the Fond du Lac Band are nearing completion, said Juli Kellner, a spokeswoman for Enbridge.

“Enbridge takes protecting the environment seriously. We regret this happened and are taking steps to improve our procedures to prevent this type of occurrence in the future,” Kellner said.

Line 3 starts in Alberta, Canada, and clips a corner of North Dakota before crossing Minnesota toward Enbridge’s terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. The project was pronounced complete in September.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

(Facebook Photo/Superior Court of Arizona in Yavapai County)...
Associated Press

Arizona judge has cases reassigned following DUI arrest

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that all cases currently assigned to a Yavapai County Superior Court judge recently arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI will be reassigned to other judges.
1 day ago
Haitian migrant Gerson Solay, 28, carries his daughter, Bianca, as he and his family cross into Can...
Associated Press

US, Canada to end loophole that allows asylum-seekers to move between countries

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a plan to close a loophole to an immigration agreement.
4 days ago
Expert skateboarder Di'Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and...
Associated Press

Indigenous skateboard art featured on new stamps unveiled at Phoenix skate park

The Postal Service unveiled the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps at a Phoenix skate park, featuring designs from Indigenous artists.
4 days ago
(Facebook Photo/City of San Luis, Arizona)...
Associated Press

San Luis authorities receive complaints about 911 calls going across border

Authorities in San Luis say they are receiving more complaints about 911 calls mistakenly going across the border.
10 days ago
(Pexels Photo)...
Associated Press

Daylight saving time begins in most of US this weekend

No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.
18 days ago
Mexican army soldiers prepare a search mission for four U.S. citizens kidnapped by gunmen in Matamo...
Associated Press

How the 4 abducted Americans in Mexico were located

The anonymous tip that led Mexican authorities to a remote shack where four abducted Americans were held described armed men and blindfolds.
18 days ago

Sponsored Articles

(Pexels Photo)...

Sports gambling can be fun for adults, but it’s a dangerous game for children

While adults may find that sports gambling is a way to enhance the experience with more than just fandom on the line, it can be a dangerous proposition if children get involved in the activity.
...
Fiesta Bowl Foundation

Celebrate 50 years of Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade magic!

Since its first production in the early 1970s, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe has been a staple of Valley traditions, bringing family fun and excitement to downtown Phoenix.
(Desert Institute for Spine Care photo)...
DESERT INSTITUTE FOR SPINE CARE

Why DISC is world renowned for back and neck pain treatments

Fifty percent of Americans and 90% of people at least 50 years old have some level of degenerative disc disease.
DNR: More groundwater released by pipeline aquifer ruptures