Tribal leader and environmental groups are pushing back against plans to relocate a segment of an old pipeline in northern Wisconsin, expressing concerns about potential hazards of a spill along the proposed new path. The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, which crosses the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation, currently carries about 23 million gallons of oil and gas daily from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, passing through Michigan.
The tribe took legal action against Enbridge in 2019, stating that the 71-year-old pipeline is at risk of a catastrophic spill and asserting that Enbridge’s operating rights on the reservation expired in 2013. Enbridge has suggested a 41-mile reroute to circumvent the reservation’s southern border, necessitating approvals from various government bodies such as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During a public hearing, Bad River Chair Robert Blanchard expressed concerns that the proposed reroute, though adjacent to the reservation, could still impact reservation waters in case of a spill. Opponents, including the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club, cautioned that the new route’s construction might harm the environment by increasing erosion and runoff and leaving many waterways vulnerable to spills.
Critics also highlighted Enbridge’s safety track record, referencing a previous oil release incident in Michigan. Conversely, proponents argued that the reroute project could generate numerous job opportunities for construction workers and engineers in the state. Enbridge has yet to comment on the hearing.
The timeline for a decision from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program on the compatibility of the reroute remains uncertain. Enbridge is under a time constraint, with a federal court ruling mandating the shutdown and removal of the pipeline section on the reservation within three years.
In a separate case, Michigan’s attorney general filed a lawsuit in 2019 aiming to close twin segments of Line 5 under the Straits of Mackinac due to spill concerns. Michigan regulators recently approved a plan for Enbridge to encase the pipeline in a tunnel beneath the straits, awaiting final clearance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.