A favorable environmental verdict has enabled $2.6 billion in construction to start this year on a contested 340-mile leg of a Canadian oil export pipe replacement project across Minnesota, according to Enbridge Inc.

Enbridge

“Enbridge continues to work with permitting agencies for the timely issuance of remaining permits in order for construction to start before year-end 2020,” the Calgary-based firm said in a statement after Administrative Law Judge James LaFave upheld a water permit late Friday that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has drafted for its Line 3 improvement program.

“Based on field survey data collected over six years and 120,000 hours in the field, the Line 3 replacement project was designed and will be built to minimize impacts to wetlands and water...