Legalectric

This Thursday in a rare divided vote, 3 of the 5 Commissioner of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved moving the Megellan pipeline in southern Minnesota to a route near Pipestone National Monument and to an area where there are active pipestone quarries. Commission Chair Sieben and Vice Chair Sullivan voted against it, and Commissioners Ham, Means, and Tuma voted for it.

The Administrative Law Judge had recommended it be approved, but that’s just a Recommendation, and the it goes to the Commission — the PUC is “the decider.”

OAH FOF, Conclusions & Recommendation 7-17-24

Here are the route options reviewed, and “RA-02” was the one recommended — it’s the purple one going north and then east in the middle of this map:

Here’s the PUC staff Briefing Papers laying out staff perspective with decision options (at the end) and then additional decision options:

• Briefing Papers
• New Decision Option 1.a-Commissioner Tuma
• New Decision Options-Commissioner Sieben
• New Decision Option 3.b.i-Commissioner Tuma
• New Decision Option 4.a-Commissioner Tuma

The PUC’s discussion begins at 3:29:09:

https://minnesotapuc.granicus.com/player/clip/2418?meta_id=265921

In the STrib:

Minnesota regulators narrowly approve gas pipeline near Pipestone Monument