Federal officials tour Stockbridge oil terminal, back Line 5 tunnel project
STOCKBRIDGE, Mich. (News 10) — Industry stakeholders spoke with 7th District Rep. Tom Barrett and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin during a roundtable discussion at Enbridge’s oil terminal in Stockbridge, with some saying they are hopeful to move forward with the Line 5 tunnel project.
The project would replace and relocate Enbridge’s Line 5 pipelines from the lake bed in the Straits of Mackinac to a tunnel underground.
Barrett and Zeldin took time to champion the Trump administration’s work with the industry, and spoke about its impacts.
Some of those in attendance brought up the Line 5 pipeline, something Barrett and Zeldin say they support moving forward with.
Industry and federal officials react
“Getting this tunnel off the lake bed and underground, it helps the environment, it helps the workforce, and it helps our long-term energy reliability,” Jacob Toomey of the Laborers’ International Union of North America said.
“This is a project that’s been a long time coming, with great need for us in our country,” Zeldin said.
Opposition raised at the Capitol
Not everyone is on board. Speaking last month at the Capitol, environmental advocates shared their concerns with the project.
“We don’t need to take this risk and we need our elected officials to stand up and do the right thing to protect everyone,” Cecilia Garcia-Linz said.
“I’ve seen what can go wrong on these tunnels; they do flood, they do collapse. I’ve seen fires, I’ve seen explosions and I’ve seen people get killed in them,” Brian O’Mara said.
Enbridge says it is committed to protecting the Great Lakes, the region’s natural and cultural resources, and the communities connected to them, while maintaining safe and reliable service.
Barrett cites propane impact
Barrett said moving forward with the project and maintaining the pipeline will have an impact on the state and its people.
“This specific pipeline that you’re talking about is a vital artery for movement of materials, specifically for propane. And Michigan is the leading state for home heating with propane. More than any other state in the union,” he said.
The state is reviewing whether a ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court could impact the permits that have been issued for the project.
Earlier this month, Gov. Whitmer urged Enbridge to pursue alternatives to the tunnel, saying the state cannot risk environmental impacts to the Great Lakes while waiting for solutions that might not come.
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