Minnesota should end its legal fight to stop contested case hearing on PolyMet

PRESS RELEASE: 6/3/2020                       Contact: Aaron Klemz, Director of Public Engagement

St. Paul, Minnesota -- Today, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced that they would hold an administrative trial (known as a contested case hearing) on the Clean Water Act certification for the proposed Line 3 oil pipeline expansion. In their decision, the MPCA noted that their decision to order a contested case hearing was influenced by the Minnesota Court of Appeals overturning the permit to mine and dam safety permit for PolyMet’s proposed copper-nickel mine.

Kathryn Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, issued the following statement in response:

"A contested case hearing allows an impartial judge to hear all the evidence and ensures a proposed project meets the law. It is a critical step that was skipped for the PolyMet mine proposal. The State of Minnesota should similarly end their legal fight to deprive the people downstream of PolyMet's dangerous sulfide mine proposal of an administrative trial where all of the evidence can be heard."

The Minnesota Supreme Court has agreed to review the Minnesota Court of Appeals decision requiring a contested case hearing for the PolyMet permit to mine and dam safety permit. No date has been set for oral arguments in that case.

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