API-MN says pipelines are critical to Minnesota, condemns acts of sabotage

ST. PAUL, February 5, 2019 – After an incident yesterday in Minnesota when four rogue individuals attempted to turn off valves controlling Line 3 and Line 4, API issued the following statement condemning their actions. “Pipelines meet a critical need for Minnesotans as temperatures drop and demand increases over the winter, and our industry takes acts of sabotage very seriously,” said API Minnesota Executive Director Erin Roth. “Safety is our number one priority, and any dangerous and illegal effort that threatens our communities and the environment should be prosecuted under state and federal laws.”

In 2017, API urged the Administration, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Transportation Security Administration, to prioritize effective deterrence against the willful disruption of and damage to pipeline infrastructure.

API represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 600 members produce, process and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry supports more than ten million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization. In our first 100 years, API has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.