04-04-2025
MI tribes, environmentalists oppose Line 5 tunnel project
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– Four Michigan Native tribes and environmental advocates have asked the state Supreme Court to consider overturning the permit for the Line 5 tunnel project. The tribes argue that the decision violates the words and purpose of the Michigan Consitution and the Michigan Environmental Protection Act.
'Even if the public has been misled into believing this tunnel project is safe, the truth is that it is not,' said Whitney Gravelle, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community, in a statement sent to 6 News.
'Enbridge's track record speaks for itself—catastrophic spills, environmental destruction, and a complete disregard for tribal sovereignty and the rights of future generations. The Straits of Mackinac are not just a waterway; they are the heart of creation for Anishinaabe people and a vital source of life for all who depend on the Great Lakes. An oil spill here would be devastating, not only to our way of life but to the entire region. This fight is about more than just one pipeline—it's about protecting our waters, our treaties, and our future. We cannot allow corporate interests to dictate the fate of the Great Lakes for another century.'
The 634-mile-long pipeline, owned by Enbridge, runs through the Great Lakes under the Straits of Mackinac.
'Michigan's constitution and laws require agencies to protect the state's natural resources from pollution and destruction,' said Earthjustice Senior Associate Adam Ratchenski. 'The Commission violated that requirement when it approved the fossil fuel tunnel project without properly considering the risk of oil spills.'
The Michigan Climate Action Network (MiCAN) and Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) asked the Supreme Court to accept this appeal.
'We are asking the Michigan Supreme Court to accept this appeal so that it can provide much needed guidance on the proper interpretation and application of Michigan's Environmental Protection Act,' said David Scott, Senior Attorney at ELPC, which is acting as pro bono attorneys. 'We hope that the Supreme Court will review this case because it involves important environmental, health, and welfare issues for the people of Michigan, and important legal issues for Michigan courts to properly and consistently fulfill their responsibility under the Environmental Protection Act.'
'The Michigan Public Service Commission is out of step with the public and other state policymakers who have already determined that the best option is to shut down Line 5,' said Dr. Denise Keele, MiCAN's Executive Director in a statement sent to 6 News. 'Constructing a tunnel to transport Enbridge's crude oil is not only dangerous but undermines the State of Michigan's goal of 100% clean energy by 2040 by investing in unnecessary fossil fuel infrastructure that will continue to contribute to climate change too far into the future.'
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