Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission has approved Enbridge's proposal for replacing a deteriorating oil pipeline despite strong opposition from some Indigenous people and climate change activists. But a major question -- the line's route -- has yet to be settled, and the fight will likely end up in court.

Passions ran high though people remained polite as Minnesota regulators opened a key hearing Monday that's meant to lead to a final decision on whether to approve Enbridge Energy's proposal for replacing its deteriorating Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota.

Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota and it might be better to just shut down the existing line, the Minnesota Department of Commerce said Monday.