Enbridge Inc. is a multinational pipeline and energy company whose headquarters are in Calgary, Alberta Canada. They own and operate pipelines throughout Canada and the United States transporting crude oil, and natural gas liquids.
The Great Lakes Tunnel Project is in the Straits of Mackinac as well as the existing Line 5 pipeline in Michigan is an ongoing battle with Enbridge to shut down line 5. Enbridge touts that a shutdown of Line 5 will cause job loss, propane shortages, a 5 billion dollar hit to the regional economy and a threat to energy security. They want to build an underground tunnel to house line 5, deep under the Straits of Mackinac.
What can go wrong? In my previous article I spoke about the importance of why Line 5 needs to be permanently shut down. The Great Lakes are the largest body of freshwater in the world.
In November of 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer set a 6 month deadline for Enbridge to cease operation of the two-twenty inch underwater pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac while ordering the company’s easement with the state to be revoked and terminated. That deadline expired on May 12,th 2021.
Enbridge is fighting a federal lawsuit filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in 2019 seeking to return the case to state court. That case is currently before the U.S. State of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Democratic leaders are urging the Biden Administration to intervene on behalf of the State of Michigan. As of yet they have not intervened.
It is very important to know that Line 5 is owned and operated by Enbridge, the same Canadian Corp. responsible for the 2010 spill of more than 1.2 million gallons of heavy tar sands oil into the Kalamazoo River watershed near Marshall, Michigan. That spill sickened more than 300 people, permanently drove more than 150 people from their homes and properties and continues to harm the environment to this day. It took four years and over $1.2 Billion to clean it up to the extent possible and remains one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history.
Enbridge is defying the shutdown order and line 5 remains exposed to strong currents, lakebed scouring and erosion.
Line 5 was built in 1953 and was designed to last 50 years and is now 70 years old! It extends 645 miles across the State of Michigan from Superior, across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, through the open waters of the Straits of Mackinac and across the lower peninsula of Michigan before crossing under the St. Clair River to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario.
The 30 inch diameter steel pipeline splits into 2- 20 inch diameter pipes when crossing the straits carrying nearly 23 million gallons of oil and natural gas liquid daily through the rough waters where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron. It is important to know that Line 5 has failed at least 33 times since 1968, spilling at least 1.3 million gallons of oil on land and into the precious wetlands.
The 70 year old line 5 runs depths between 100 and 270 feet into the Straits of Mackinac where it is stressed daily by strong currents and prone to anchor strikes.
It is also important to stress that Line 5 was built and is operated by Enbridge, a Canadian company and Line 5 products mainly serve Canada with less than 10% of the oil used in MICHIGAN. Line 5 threatens the drinking water supply for more than 5 million residents, the “Pure Michigan” tourist economy, and way of life.
The time has come for Line 5 to be shut down permanently because of the oil spill danger to the Great Lakes!
The fight to stop Enbridge goes on and Line 5 still remains a threat to our environment and water supply.
In my next article we will explore what Enbridge is proposing to build to house a new Line 5 pipeline.
Until then I hope this article has been informative and will urge you to contact the Biden Administration and urge them to help us and intervene on behalf of the state of Michigan.
Lori Pica