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Capital City to Snyder & Schuette: ‘Protect the Great Lakes, Shut Down Line 5’

The Mayor of Lansing and city council made their commitment to protecting the Great Lakes official. Members of the Lansing City Council voted unanimously to send a letter to Governor Rick Snyder, Attorney General Bill Schuette, the Michigan Legislature, and U.S. Senators calling on them to take swift action to shut down Line 5.

See all municipal resolutions to shut down Line 5

“Once again the Capital City is ahead of the Capitol Building in protecting our Great Lakes way of life,” said Nic Clark, Michigan Director of Clean Water Action. “The leaders of the City of Lansing understand we all live downstream and a threat to one Michigander’s drinking water is a threat to all of our drinking water.”

The City of Lansing is Michigan’s second largest city to pass a resolution calling for action on Line 5 and joins the chorus of more than 60 other local units of government including Detroit, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo.

“Protecting our Great Lakes is one of the paramount responsibilities of our state and federal governments and the regulators who are tasked with overseeing the safety of Line 5. The consequences of a pipeline break at the Straits of Mackinac would have a catastrophic impact on the ecology of the Great Lakes and on Michigan’s economy.” - Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero

“I’m proud to say that the City of Lansing strongly supports the bipartisan calls for immediate action to suspend the operations of Line 5 pending a thorough review of the risks associated with this pipeline and an independent, objective determination as to its safety in the short- and long-term,” said Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero. “Protecting our Great Lakes is one of the paramount responsibilities of our state and federal governments and the regulators who are tasked with overseeing the safety of Line 5. The consequences of a pipeline break at the Straits of Mackinac would have a catastrophic impact on the ecology of the Great Lakes and on Michigan’s economy.”

At-Large Councilwoman Carol Wood who originally introduced the resolution said, "As a Lansing City Council member, I was thrilled last night to be involved with the vote on the resolution to end the use of the Line 5 pipelines. Realizing that this doesn't have a direct impact on Lansing, but there is a direct impact on our region. Safe water and preserving our Great Lakes is important not only to those that border the lakes, but also to those of us in the heart of the state."

"Lansing City Council believed it was important to support the efforts of those state officials and municipalities across Michigan who have been calling on the immediate shutdown of Enbridge Energy's Line 5. Of particular concern for our members was the age of the pipeline and Enbridge's track record, including the largest inland oil spill in US history when in 2010, Line 6B ruptured and almost 1 million gallons of petroleum product was released into the Kalamazoo river,” said Adam Hussain, representing Lansing’s 3rd Ward. “Further, the Great Lakes are imperative to the ecology and economy of our great state. It is incredibly important that our elected officials do what is necessary to protect our most precious assets. The potential for disaster, especially when considering the turbulent nature of the Straits of Mackinac, is simply too great to stand by and hope that nothing goes awry. It is our hope that by passing this resolution, Governor Snyder and Attorney General Schuette will be encouraged to do right by the people, animals, environment, and assets of Michigan and force the closure of this pipeline."

“Once again the Capital City is ahead of the Capitol Building in protecting our Great Lakes way of life.” - Nic Clark, Michigan Director of Clean Water Action

All eight members of the city council voting in favor of the resolution:

Judi Brown Clarke, President - At-Large Council Member, Kathie Dunbar, At-Large Council Member, Tina Houghton, 2nd Ward Council Member, Adam Hussain, 3rd Ward Council Member, Patricia Spitzley, At-Large Council Member, Jody Washington, 1st Ward Council Member, Carol Wood, At Large Council Member, Jessica Yorko, 4th Ward Council Member.

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Clean Water Action is Michigan’s largest grassroots conservation group with over 250,000 members across the state. Through direct advocacy and education, they organize Michigan citizens who support sustainable solutions to our energy demands that will protect our environment and Great Lakes way of life.

For more information, contact Sean McBrearty, 517-203-0754