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Please share this thoroughly informative site and petition regarding Highland Copper’s sulfide waste mine on Lake Superior’s shore next to the Porcupine Mountains! See here: https://protecttheporkies.com/

And petition: https://www.change.org/p/protect-the-porkies-cancel-the-copperwood-mine?signed=true

AVOIDING GREAT LAKES WATERS FOR OIL FLOW: PROPOSAL FOR OIL BYPASS OF LINE5 WITH CHEAPER ENHANCED UP PROPANE SUPPLY



Scott Emerson
December 2023



Line 61 runs from Enbridge’s Superior, WI terminal to its Flanagan Terminal near Chicago, IL. Over the past decade this pipeline has had its capacity increased by Enbridge from 400,000 barrels of oil per day in 2012 to currently 1.2 million barrels of oil per day as of 2022. They did this not by building new pipelines along the Line 61 route, but by adding more pumps along the pipeline. It appears as of fall of 2022 to now have 300,000 barrels per day of unused capacity, or, only 75% of full capacity.



Line 6A runs from the Enbridge Superior Wi terminal to Griffith Indiana. This pipeline is over 50 years old. It has a 667,000 barrel per day capacity. Line 6B was 6As extension. It runs from Griffith Indians to Sarnia, Ontario, and was also an aging pipeline when it ruptured near Marshall, MI at its age of 40 years. This resulted in the largest inland oil spill in American history just 13 years ago. In the wake of this 6B was completely replaced and renamed as Line 78. It is uncertain if the capacity of Line 6A could be increased by simply adding more pumps as with Line 61 (above), but this aging pipeline might also be prone to rupture like its twin 6B was, and due for replacement and upgrade of flow capacity. The 500 to 600 million used to build a tunnel beneath the Great Lakes waters could be used instead by Enbridge to upgrade this aging line’s capacity to compensate for the loss of flow through line 5 as an additional bypass of the Great Lakes waters.



Line 14 & 64 run from Superior Wi to Chicago & northwest Indiana and also has had oil spill issues. They have a capacity of 318,000 barrels per day (uncertain if used at full capacity) and could be upgraded to increase capacity with funds not spent on a Line 5 tunnel project.



Line 78 is a relatively new line from northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana to Sarnia, Ontario that replaced old line 6B in 2015. It has a capacity currently of 570,000 barrels a day and with new pipe, might be able to have capacity increased by adding more pumps, as for line 61(above).



Line 5 could be divided into Line 5A (above the straits of Mackinac) and Line 5B (below the straits of Mackinac) with NO oil crossing the straits and no tunnel being built. It transports 540,000 barrels of oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs) per day. The loss of propane supplies for the UP and LP of Michigan has been used as a main argument for continuing oil flow through the straits. This is despite the assurances of the main propane suppliers within Michigan’s UP and LP that alternative supplies are readily available. The UP uses approximately 20 million gallons of propane per year while the LP of MI uses 250 million gallons of propane/ year. Line 5 currently provides a total of approximately 440 million gallons of propane per year as 20 % of the 108,000 barrels per day of NGLs or y- grade/ year flowing through line 5. (108,000 barrels per day of NGLs times approx. 20 % of it propane = 21,600 barrels of propane per day; times 365 days per year = 7, 884,000 barrels of propane per year @ 55 gallons per barrel = 433 million gallons per year of propane). With 100 million of the 500 to 600 million for the tunnel being used to install increased propane fractionation at Superior WI, Line 5A could be used by Enbridge as a pure propane gas line for the UP. Using an additional 80 million of the 500 to 600 million for a tunnel project to instead build increased propane storage at Rapid River, MI and Kincheloe, MI, propane could be bought and stored at lower summer prices and result in decreased cost for UP propane consumers. Line 5B could be used as a collector line to Sarnia, Ontario for all the oil and gas production in the northern Lower Peninsula. All of the crude oil currently flowing through line 5 (432,000 barrels per day) and the remaining NGLs / y-grade (86,000 barrels per day) a total of 516,000 barrels per day, could now flow down to pipeline distribution networks in the Chicago area. And according to data supplied by Enbridge we suspect that there is significant excess capacity currently available via lines 61 (300,000 barrels a day) leaving 210,000 barrels per day to transport to the Chicago area distribution network. This would also leave 320 to 420 million dollars not spent on the Line 5 tunnel used for upgrades to replace the Line 5 flow via lines 6a, Line 14 / 64 and Line 78. And if Enbridge decided that what other major propane providers for the UP have said is actually correct – that there is plenty of propane available for the UP without Line 5, they could then use the entire 500 to 600 million not spent on the tunnel to work a bypass of all Great Lakes waters. This would prove that they really do care about this priceless fresh water resource as a top priority and want to be a good corporate citizen of Michigan, respecting our State’s governor’s, native Americans treaty rights, our attorney general’s and straits area local government’s wishes concerning Line 5.




Finally, since the cut off of propane supply for the State of Michigan has been used as a main argument and justification for continuing Enbridge’s Line 5 and building a tunnel through the straits beneath Great Lakes waters, it could become a pure propane gas line supplying at around 440 million gallons of propane to Michigan and Ontario per year. This would more than solve this “problem” for Michigan that has been raised by Enbridge, and at far less expense than building a tunnel. While still not ideal, if Line 5 just became a pure propane gas line, no tunnel would be needed or desirable and the twin pipelines could be replaced with a new single 5-mile segment on the lakebed or buried just below it to prevent anchor strikes. A propane leak would not be nearly as damaging to the Great Lakes waters and shorelines as an oil spill, as the gas would rise to the surface and be dissipated naturally by the wind. Constructing any tunnel for a pure propane pipeline would be bad, as this would concentrate any leak (not allowing it to dissipate) and increasing the risk of an explosion within the tunnel. The oil portion and remaining NGLs of line 5 could be sent via alternate routes south around the Great Lakes from Superior WI.


Where there is a will there is a way if the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority, Enbridge Corp, and the US Army Corp of Engineers are really serious about decreasing any chance of an oil spill within the waters of the Straits of Mackinac to ZERO.


Respectfully Submitted,


Scott Emerson


Chocolay Township


Michigan

Is anyone looking at creating a program using the new federal tax credits to convert UP propane use to air source heat pumps? I would seem that if there was a solid program to get people off of propane the “need for line 5” would be diminish . Air source heat pumps cost less to operate than propane so once the change was made the home owners would continue to benefit.

We are pleased to invite your organization to be a part of the 3rd annual Great Lakes Environmental Festival (GLEF) which will be held at the Manistee High School on 12th Street in Manistee Saturday April 20, 2024. This venue will host both the Environmental Expo in the commons and featured speakers in the auditorium. We will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm. Visitors can take in the Expo booths and also listen and learn from our array of subject matter experts at their leisure.


For more information on the GLEF please visit our website: https://www.glef.us/


I am the coordinator of the Environmental Expo which will feature information tables staffed by members of various local, regional, state, and national environmentally focused organizations. Each exhibitor will be allocated a 15×15 footprint in the spacious school commons area to set up their table and/or information booth. Please plan to bring your own tables and chairs. There will be a limited number of electrical outlets available on a first asked/first given basis. We will be open for setup at 9am on April 20th.


To reserve your spot in the Environmental Expo all I need is a return email from you confirming your intention to be an exhibitor. If you need electricity, please tell me as soon as possible so we can position you near an outlet.


Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.

Do you have an event at the Lyric in Harbor Springs to show Troubled Waters? I would be interested in getting that to happen if not.

You know who would shut down that pipeline if he were in office? ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. Enough trying to tell the corrupt politicians in this country anything…time to get someone who is, and has been, on your side for his whole career-if you remember, he made his career fighting corrupt polluting corporations. Time to tell the DNC and the corrupt politicians that are trying to keep him out of the race, to move over. He will fight for our resources more than any other President would!

I have written a poem to inspire our elected leaders to do the right thing with Pipeline 5.


Ecology and Economy

by Liz Timmerman


Everyone is so calm,

Speaking in dollars and cents

Like it all makes logical sense.

But we cannot compare

Ecology and economy.

There is no way to quantify

Needing fresh water to survive

Ecology is wild life, your life.

And economy cannot exist

If oil and water mix

In the largest fresh water

System on earth.

What is life worth?

How are we okay with this risk?


We have given away our power

To an entity that doesn’t care about tomorrow.

And our tax dollars are paying for this run around

As no tribe or government can shut it down

Without spending insane amounts of money and time

Proving that their operation is a crime.

And with each passing day, the risk compounds

As they spread lies on air waves and ad campaigns

To confuse us and buy more time.

Their accounting admits that each day

This shut down is delayed

They make another million dollars.

So they continue to ignore

Orders of cease and desist

After all, they have money to resist

And minutes are money

But we cannot compare

Ecology and economy.


Enbridge has admitted their goal

For this pipe that is already too old:

To operate until the pipeline fails.

Do they understand what that entails?

Maybe they do, as court documents reveal

A loophole they’ve found –

Michigan citizens will be on the line

For any damages caused by Pipeline Five.

We are not free citizens

When a business has no restrictions

On making billions

While risking life on this planet.

We have been complacent

Because it has been convenient

But spilled oil will be on each of our hands

If we don’t wake up and take a stand.

We can no longer be

Pawns of their propaganda.

The risk this line currently poses

Comes down to two choices:

We pay half a cent more per gallon

To redirect the line to safer ground

Or we continue to allow this risk to persist

Knowing it will only end in disaster.

I am speaking with candor:

There is no way to compare

Ecology and Economy.


Shut down pipeline five.

I’m a reporter with 13abc News in Toledo, Ohio. We’re working on a story leading up to Earth Day about the efforts to shut down Line 5.


Any chance someone from your group has a few minutes to do a Zoom interview about this? I’m looking to schedule that interview sometime this week, this weekend, or early next week.

I am a member of Maynard Anti-Racism Alliance (MARA). We will be tabling at a climate emergency focused Earth Day Fair at our local library. Our table will be about Environmental Justice. Although we are in MA, we are all connected and I would like to educate my community about the disastrous impact this tunnel wold have on our Great Lakes. I plan to wear the t-shirt I just bought but I would love some fact sheets/petitions/actions to share on the East Coast. Thanks, Maggie

I wonder about the power of the Canadian citizens.

I wonder how very well spent concentrated energy might be if focused on reaching them.

I seek to trace where the most stubborn, yet most malleable, kinks in the flow of progress  toward decommissioning Line 5 lie.

I think through what are – like it or not – vitally pertinent factors

*President Biden’s considerable wave of negative push-back for his takedown of the Keystone Pipeline;

*his crucial global responsibility to repair & reestablish U.S. relationships with neighbors & allies, dangerously damaged by the previous Administration.

I recognize that my focus is on environmental concerns.

I recognize I have the luxury of choosing; focusing on; fighting for specific grave concerns… WHILE I accept also that foreign affairs actually are crucial,  delicate matters; that bungled global diplomacy is no less a threat to the survival of Earth and life than the imminently critical environmental concerns I’m most focused on.

 I recognize I haven’t the expertise you do, but I find the greatest kink in progressing to the shut down of Line 5 sits squarely with P.M. Trudeau and his choice to support Enbridge & oil pipelines.

The power most capable of reaching this man who has  cast himself as a champion in the fight against climate change lies with the Canadian people

So, as the power most capable of releasing that kink lies in the hands of  the Canadian citizenship, I wonder what I can do/what we can and are collectively doing to tab that powerful resource.

 

I will keep writing President Biden if you truly believe that’s energy well, fairly and best spent, but daily grow more interested in contributing my energies toward releasing the major kink logic leads me to identifying.

It’s very possible I’m mistaken; that I lack pertinent facts. Pls. advice.


Thank you endlessly for the critical, vitally crucial work you devote yourselves to. 

Sincerely, Nicki CoutoumanosM.. Coutoumanos

—

“The common humanity of people, not the power of governments, is the only real protector of human rights" Jan Karski  24 June 1914 – 13 July 2000

Alternate route after the Kalamazoo river oil spill Ambridge was allowed to double the capacity of the line that goes around Chicago. You need to concentrate on delivering that message that there is an alternate route that needs to be used in. You need to publicize it more.

Hello! I am reaching out to see if anyone within Oil and Water Don’t Mix, would be open for an interview. I am a masters student at U of M, studying Environmental Justice, doing a paper for a journalism project on fossil fuel infrastructure and pipelines. In particular indigenous resistance and grassroots visions for imagining a world beyond fossil fuel dependent infrastructure. Please reach out if this would be of interest to anyone! Thank you! [email protected]

I was completing the form to email President Biden re Line 5… and came to the request for a cell phone number. I never give out my cell phone number under these circumstances, so I can not sign the petition or any of your other actions, apparently .

Be aware that some highly publicized energy infrastructure projects such as oil pipelines, long-distance transmission lines, bladed wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, fuel cells, small modular nuclear reactors, hydrogen, electric vehicle charging stations, geologic storage of nuclear waste, fossil fuels, and 5G are obsolete.


Billions are being spent subsidizing electric vehicles, nuclear power, fossil fuels, wind turbines, and photovoltaic panels. May I suggest spending .1% on developing and deploying some of the 50 or so clean new generators profiled below?


The Gallery of Clean Energy Inventions is linked at padrak.com/vesperman.


The Gallery of Clean Energy Inventions displays profiles of 27 Larger Generators, 35 Smaller Generators, 29 Advanced Self-Powered Electric Vehicle Innovations, 29 Radioactivity Neutralization Methods, 30 Space Travel Innovations, 23 Technical Solutions to Water Shortages, and a Torsion Field School Network. The exhibit’s seven groups can be displayed on 20 meters of walls or tables.


The new self-charged electric school bus exhibit file has been uploaded into the Transportation Inventions category of padrak.com/vesperman.


Its caption reads:


Self-Charged Electric School Bus with Continuous Climate Control Even While Parked. Compressed air-driven vortex tubes are switched between 90% cold air and 10% hot air, or 90% hot air and 10% cold air. Power for the air compressor and electric drive motors provided by one of nine electricity generators. This exhibit was displayed in the September 25, 2021 electric vehicle festival in the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.


These nine generators were cherry picked from the Gallery of Clean Energy Inventions.


To my knowledge all of these self-charged electric school bus inventions are fully validated. To build a prototype would simply need straightforward sweat engineering, sufficient financing to bring these buses to market, and an organized entity with a will to accomplish this task. The Gallery of Clean Energy Inventions includes 13 more generators that appear to be candidates for powering self-charged electric school buses.


Electric vehicles that haul around a half-ton or so batteries and need to stop for recharging are truly old-fashioned. I am fully confident that once EV owners are freed from the hassle and expense of stopping to recharge, there would be no difficulty selling self-charged EVs.


Self-charged EVs would only need one or two less efficient lithium-free batteries. Switching electric vehicles to self-charged electric vehicles would eliminate stressing already strained electric power grids.


The bottom of padrak.com/vesperman links to my ‘grand’ invention development business plan. Development of most, if not all, of these futuristic inventions could soak up a billion dollars. But we would end up with a much better world that people may not recognize.

Hi there! My name is Annie Dubois and I’m a recent grad of Michigan State University and freelance writer. I interviewed David Holtz back in November 2021 for an article I published in MSU’s student-run magazine, The Current. Here’s the link if you’d like to read and share with others: https://thecurrentmsu.com/2022/03/27/great-lakes-crude-awakening/


I greatly enjoyed speaking with David and spreading the word about Line 5’s dangerous presence in the Straits. I’d love to continue writing investigative pieces about Line 5 with your organization and I’m wondering if there are any opportunities available for freelance writing and media relations. Please feel free to shoot me an email or phone call and we can chat further. I look forward to hearing from you.

Hi there, I’m writing a piece about the GOP candidates for Gov, and their support of Line 5. Could I get a comment from you guys? Anything over email is fine, or if a phone call is more convenient, that’s also fine. Its seems like all the candidates think Line 5 is essential and minimize the environmental risks. I’m looking at the risks vs benefits, the tribal response to Line 5, problems with the tunnel project and anything else you feel pertinent. Many thanks

I was wondering if Oil and Water Don’t Mix can post a new event link for the Pipe Out Paddle Up Sept 2, 2022 on Saturday morning.

I am on the email list of the Cheboygan Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has posted a message from Enbridge seeking local businesses to be added to “The List”.


Here’s some of the text from their post: "Enbridge is building a list of local Michigan businesses and service providers that would like to support our contractors in building the Great Lakes Tunnel. Are you interested in getting on the list for this project? If you would like your business to be included on the list and considered for work on the project, please send an email to: [email protected]. While contractors are not currently accepting proposals from local businesses, Enbridge is compiling this list of businesses and their services to help potential contractors understand local options as they prepare their proposals for the project. "


I believe that this implies that Enbridge and its contractors have the support of the local business community, and they will use this information in the future as a P.R. stunt. I am dubious.

Why aren’t you sending your Boycott the Enbridge Reception message to Michigan Congressperson Andy Levin?

How do I make a gift donation – in the name of friends who just married?

If there is anything you would like to have shared, I publish Middle Wisconsin News online, and would love to be able to share with our readers. If there is anyone else out there writing letters, please feel free to contact me! If you have anything, please send to [email protected]

Hello, Terri Wilkerson recommended me to you. I founded an org called Seeding Sovereignty and I was looking to connect with someone there about Line 5. We also have a robust social media presence and would be happy to amplify your efforts. If you would like us to sign on to support, please let me know. I hope to hear from someone soon and thank you for all you do. I have already signed up for the email list separately.

Janet

The Drop Of Water ( Water Protector Necklaces)

Greetings and Namaste’.

My name is Dan Garduno, I am known as Dan “TheGlassman” from The Drop Of Water. I am a Water Protector. I am also a humanitarian, an activist, an artist, and a musician, and have dedicated my life and my glass art to help raise awareness and to teach others the importance of water for life and for generations to come. During Standing Rock, I created The Drop Of Water in November of 2016, and then after, The Drop Of Water was given special permission to be worn as part of their regalia by 17 individuals of the Pueblo Enchantment Dancers during the Special Presentation of the Buffalo Dance at the Gathering Of Nations PowWow in 2017. After that ceremonial dance, I realized my friends from the Pueblo Enchantment Dancers were only a small group of individuals who were joined together with all 19 New Mexico Pueblos and close to 200-300 other individual dancers and singers. I felt it in my heart, they all deserved to be honored with The Drop Of Water as well, to thank them for the Buffalo Dance and for honoring Creator’s water and the hundreds of thousands of individuals standing together at Standing Rock.

2 days later at San Felipe Feast Day, I met and gifted Orlando Cruz who had come down from Pueblo Camp at Standing Rock, and he and several others presented the Gathering of Nations Committee with a sacred staff from Standing Rock. Orlando mentioned 7 other Water Protectors who he knew were there in San Felipe, so I gave him 7 more drops so he could have the honor of gifting them. That is where he and I joined together and started gifting all 80 individuals he could remember being with him at Pueblo Camp, and then we started gifting so many other individual from the front lines, from on the bridge, those who fed all the individuals in the kitchens, as well as the sacred fire keepers, individual celebrities and musicians, and thousands of more individuals. Orlando and I vowed to continue honoring and thanking Water Protectors with The Drop Of Water for as long as we can. Eventually he moved on to other goals and aspirations, but I personally have continued this devotional service work to keep my promise to continue to gift as many Water Protectors from around the world, as I can.

Since then, I began selling them for $10 to other individuals who want to support my efforts, so I can continue to afford to make and gift these out of pocket. I have also found several retail locations that have helped to spread the awareness, as well as help me gift out more drops to more Water Protectors.

I offer The Drop Of Water to them at wholesale for $5 ea, or a minimum order of 20/$100. If the individual retailer would like to help me gift other Water Protectors, I always donate additional drops for them to gift out at their own discretion. Over 3,500 have been made and gifted out so far! And about half as many have been made and sold. As of this year, 2022, I am currently seeking 2 retail locations in each of the 50 US States so we can spread the love and awareness even further!

I would love your help and suggestions!

Do you know a retail location, store, shop, or even individual vendor or distributor who would be perfect for The Drop Of Water?

Or would you personally like to resell in your online shop? I see Oil and Water Don’t Mix have an online store and this could be a perfect match up!

You may email me at [email protected]

Thank you for your time and consideration!

Dan “TheGlassman”

The Drop Of Water

“Water Is Life… Every Drop Counts!”


or msg at www.Facebook.com/TheDropOfWater

Hello, My name is Chelsea Fairbank and I am currently writing a book about Line 3 & Line 5. I would love the opportunity to speak with people from your organization regarding Line 5 if possible. I will be in Michigan next week and can stop by the Lansing office, if that is convenient for you.


I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you.

Best,

Chelsea Fairbank

Hello, I work for a nonpartisan voter education organization called Turn Up Turnout through the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. I’d like to do some voter education on this topic and am inquiring to see if there is anyone that may be able to virtually join us in the Winter 2022 semester to give some insight into the importance of shutting this pipeline down and how students can better get involved and how their vote can help with this.

Please issue a response to Mr. Hayes’s article last week in the Wall Street Journal. Very one-sided.