Report: 3.3 million barrels of crude oil cross Minnesota every day

Oil containers sat at a train depot in North Dakot
Oil containers sat at a train depot outside Williston, North Dakota.
Andrew Burton | Getty Images file

Eight state commissioners and others who are members of the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board will learn more this week about the health, economic, and environmental implications of pipelines carrying crude oil from North Dakota and Canada through Minnesota.

A recent report prepared by several state agencies shows that about 3.3 million barrels of crude oil cross Minnesota every day. About 80 percent of that oil is being transported by pipeline. The rest moves by train.

The Minnesota Legislature enacted new rail safety laws to respond to potential spills, but a new state report says such measures should be extended to pipelines to both prevent spills and respond to any that do happen.

Minnesota saw 80 oil spills over 10,000 gallons between 1960 to 2012, though none was as big as one that occurred in Michigan's Kalamazoo River in 2010.

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