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Michigan Democratic party adopts a policy to support decommissioning Line 5 on heels of leading Republican Senator calling for Line 5 shutdown in wake of anchor damage.

Participate in Shutting Down Line 5. Come to one of 31 Line 5 Retirement Parties across the Great Lakes on Monday, April 23.

DETROIT- Michigan Democrats joined thousands of other Michigan residents, businesses, and tribes in opposition to Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipelines, adopting a strong formal policy in support of decommissioning the controversial pipeline during its state convention Sunday. The party’s position comes on the heels of a leading Republican State Senator’s announcement that he supports shutting down Line 5.

Republican State Sen. Wayne Schmidt, who represents an area that includes the Mackinac Straits, criticized Enbridge late last week after it was revealed that an anchor strike from a vessel travelling the Straits of Mackinac not only hit two electric cables and spilled 600 gallons of hazardous oils into the Straits last week, but also put new dents into both legs of the Line 5 pipeline.

“The anchor strike last week brought us very close to a catastrophic oil spill in the Great Lakes. We got lucky, and luck is not good enough when you are talking about protecting the Great Lakes,” said OWDM campaign coordinator, Sean McBrearty. “For years the Snyder administration has done nothing to prevent an oil spill in the Great Lakes except study Line 5. Now the Governor wants to allow Enbridge to replace Line 5 the Straits of Mackinac with a tunnel that will not protect the Great Lakes but will protect Enbridge’s profits.

“Shutting down Line 5 is a position that a large majority of Michigan voters agree with. We encourage all political leaders in Michigan to come forward and let their constituents know where they stand on this vital issue.” - Sean McBrearty, OWDM Campaign Coordinator

“We are encouraged that the Michigan Democratic Party included decommissioning Line 5 in the party platform and that Republican leaders like Senators Rick Jones and Wayne Schmidt are calling for shutting down Line 5.,” added McBrearty. “We are seeing a bipartisan groundswell of leaders calling on this administration to shut down Line 5.”

“Shutting down Line 5 is a position that a large majority of Michigan voters agree with. We encourage all political leaders in Michigan to come forward and let their constituents know where they stand on this vital issue.”