Act to Protect Gardens of Eagan Organic Vegetable Farm from Crude Oil Pipeline

It's time to roll up your sleeves, not just for spring planting, but to help Minnesota's Gardens of Eagan in their fight to make sure that a huge crude oil pipeline doesn't cut across the heart of their certified organic vegetable farm. Gardens of Eagan is a vital part of the organic food supply for the Wedge and for other co-ops, organic groceries and organic restaurants throughout the Twin Cities. Locally-produced organic food is an important environmental and health value and is critical to the economic vitality of our organic co-ops, groceries and restaurants.

The Minnesota Pipe Line Company (MPL) announced this winter that they plan to build a crude oil pipeline from Canada to the Koch and Ashland oil refineries in the Metro area. To avoid developed lands along their current northern pipeline route, MPL is planning to cut a new route across agricultural lands in the southern part of the Metro area, going right through the family-owned Gardens of Eagan organic vegetable farm.

The problem with this picture is that construction and operation of a crude oil pipeline would irreparably harm this small, but vital organic farm.

The proposed pipeline would demand a 100-foot construction right of way and a permanent right-of-way 50 feet wide. Highly toxic crude oil would be pumped through the pipeline at a rate of 165,000 barrels per day at a hydraulic pressure of 1462 pounds per square inch.

Gardens of Eagan farmer Atina Diffley explains, "Fertility on an organic farm doesn't come from chemicals that can be reapplied after the bulldozers have come and gone. Fertility comes from careful development of soil structure over years of crop rotation, cover crops, addition of compost and manure and from preservation of a delicate balance with beneficial insects and wildlife.

"If they cut a crude oil pipeline across our farm, there is no way to repair the damage," cautions Diffley. "It would take us more than 15 years to restore the soil and some of our most productive fields, designed by the land's topography, would be split and taken out of use to grow organic vegetables."

Thankfully, there are other alternative routes that could easily avoid the Gardens of Eagan organic farm without harming other unique natural environmental and agricultural resources. The State's Office of Administrative Hearings will take evidence from May through August about alternative routes for the pipeline. Your comments matter.

Letters from organic food purchasers, co-op members and consumers opposing a route that damages the Gardens of Eagan organic farm can be sent to Administrative Law Judge Beverly Heydinger by electronic mail at Beverly.Heydinger@state.mn.us, by fax transmission to 612-349-2665 or by U.S. Mail to Office of Administrative Hearings, Suite 1700, 100 Washington Square, Minneapolis, MN 55401. For more info and a sample letter, check www.gardensofeagan.com.