Line 5 tunnel a danger to Michigan’s Great Lakes, water quality

LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement in response to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy approved Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 tunnel permits.

“Building a tunnel to keep oil flowing through our Great Lakes jeopardizes our future and will anchor our state to another generation of fossil fuels. The state’s approval of Enbridge’s ‘tunnel to nowhere’ is deeply disappointing and opens the door to continued risks of an oil spill in our most precious resource,” said Lisa Wozniak, executive director of Michigan LCV. “To be clear: EGLE’s approval of Enbridge’s tunnel permits is not the last step in the process, and we will continue to work with the Michigan Public Service Commission and federal regulators to stop the flow of oil through the heart of our Great Lakes.”

“Just this week, President Biden took historic action to address the climate crisis while creating renewable energy jobs. The true alternative to Line 5 is building a clean energy economy that ensures our air, water and people are protected. As a state, we can and must do better than locking in this dangerous tunnel that we know will become obsolete in a matter of years,” added Wozniak.

Experts have pointed out serious concerns with the proposed design of the tunnel, such as digging part of the tunnel route into poor bedrock and soils among other flaws. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still has an opportunity to consider these significant flaws and dangers presented by the oil pipeline tunnel as they make their own permits decisions. In addition, the Michigan Public Service Commission is in the midst of a longer process to review and evaluate environmental and energy impacts related to the tunnel.