Oil pipeline construction in Minnesota ruptured an aquifer. Officials say it’s the 4th time

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A fourth aquifer breach has been confirmed in northern Minnesota stemming from a Canadian oil company’s construction of an oil pipeline replacement in the region. Officials with Enbridge Energy and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources tell the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the breach occurred in Aitkin County and that Enbridge is working to fix the rupture. It’s the fourth confirmed breach along the Line 3 pipeline route, which started operating in the fall of 2021. The project generated fierce opposition from environmental activists and Native American tribes. Last October, state regulators announced that Enbridge would pay more than $11 million for water quality violations and the three previous aquifer breaches.