Walz’s commerce commissioner could become casualty of Line 3

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Senate’s top leader warned Wednesday that Republican anger over the Walz administration’s continued opposition to the Line 3 oil pipeline project could spill over into a confirmation hearing on Friday for Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley, whose job now appears in danger. Tim Walz and Kelley’s agency announced Tuesday they would appeal the latest decision by the independent Public Utilities Commission to approve Enbridge Energy’s plan to replace its aging Line 3 pipeline across northern Minnesota. He accused the governor of departing from his stated vision of “One Minnesota where everyone’s views, not just those of Twin Cities activists, but of everyone in our state, are respected.” Democratic Rep. Dave Lislegard, of Aurora, who tweeted Tuesday that “This isn’t the ‘One Minnesota’ we were promised,” affirmed that statement Wednesday saying many other Iron Rangers and and rural Minnesotans feel the same. He said in an interview that he’s deeply frustrated by a ”very disturbing pattern” of “delay, delay delay” to kill pipeline, mining and other projects that would create jobs in greater Minnesota.