Coalition Unites Labor, Business, and Ag In Support Of Dakota Access Pipeline

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DES MOINES – Members of the Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now (MAIN), a coalition of groups from the business, labor, and agricultural communities, reiterated their support for the Dakota Access Pipeline as the Iowa Utilities Board continues to accept public comments and review the project application.

“Energy costs are a major expense for business owners across Iowa and around the nation. We believe that energy projects that aim to lower resource transportation costs and increase reliability are the key to helping local businesses grow and flourish,” said Mike Ralston, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. “The Dakota Access Pipeline will help ensure that domestically-produced energy keeps our businesses competitive and keeps our state’s economy growing.”

“The construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline will provide jobs for thousands of Iowans and help support their families. We are proud to work on a project that will help Americans across the country by increasing access to American energy resources – and we know that our highly trained members are better equipped than anyone to get the job done right.” added Bill Gerhard of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council. “This is our livelihood, and Iowa is our home. We’re eager to put our skills to work, build this project, and protect our land and water in the process. Form letters from environmental activists shouldn’t stand in the way of that.”

The pipeline represents a $1.04 billion capital investment to the state, expected to generate $49.9 million in taxes during construction, and earn the state around $27 million in property taxes in the first year of operation. The project will create between 2,000 and 4,000 construction jobs.

“The Dakota Access Pipeline will significantly reduce the amount of oil trains traveling along Iowa’s railroad network and through population centers. It is a simple fact that more pipelines means more oil moving underground allowing more agricultural products to move by rail,” said Ed Wiederstein, chairman of the Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now and former president of the Iowa Farm Bureau. “Farmers in Iowa and across the Midwest feed the country and the world, and they need reliable, efficient rail access to get their products to market. Pipelines like Dakota Access let us move the oil that we all rely upon safely, efficiently, and affordably.”

Members of MAIN include the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council, Iowa Association of Business and Industry, Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa, Sukup Manufacturing Company, CRST, and many others. The Alliance’s website, www.MWAllianceNow.org, is updated regularly with new information, blog posts, and other materials relevant to the ongoing debate surrounding infrastructure in the Midwest. Read MAIN Chairman Ed Wiederstein’s latest piece on the issue in the July 8th edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

About MAIN: The Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now (MAIN) is a partnership of entities from the agriculture, business, and labor sectors aimed at supporting the economic development and energy security benefits associated with infrastructure projects in the Midwest. MAIN is a project of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council. Visit us online at www.MWAllianceNow.org.