The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its final Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project.
Download the Executive Summary
In response to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releasing its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 oil tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac, Sean McBrearty, campaign coordinator for Oil & Water Don’t Mix, issued the following statement:
“From start to finish, the Army Corps fast-tracked Enbridge’s tunnel proposal under political pressure. Even so, the Final EIS makes clear that this project would cause lasting harm to the Great Lakes. The Corps explicitly concludes that ‘long-term detrimental effects… would remain following construction of the Applicant’s Preferred Alternative,’ including permanent vegetation loss, wetland loss, and increased impervious surface. That is the federal government’s own finding.
“The EIS confirms that the tunnel would result in permanent wetland loss and require excavation and removal of roughly 665,000 cubic yards of bedrock from beneath the Straits of Mackinac, the ecological heart of the Great Lakes system. These impacts are not temporary, and they cannot be undone.
“The Corps also acknowledges that the tunnel would cause adverse effects to archaeological sites and a Traditional Cultural Landscape, and that noise, turbidity, and industrial activity could interfere with Tribal ceremonial and cultural practices. Yet incredibly, treaty rights impacts are left unresolved, listed as ‘To Be Determined in the Record of Decision.’ That is not environmental justice, and it is not meaningful consultation.
“Even after limiting public input and rushing the review, the Corps admits this project would contribute to cumulative harm to land, wildlife habitat, and wetlands. Meanwhile, alternative options evaluated in the EIS would avoid these permanent damages. This tunnel is not a solution. It’s a massive industrial intrusion into the Great Lakes, designed to keep oil flowing for decades longer.
“The good news is that Michigan is not bound by this flawed federal process. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will soon decide whether to issue a Clean Water Act permit for this project. Based on the Corps’ own findings of permanent wetland loss, lasting environmental damage, unresolved treaty rights, and years of disruptive construction, EGLE and Governor Whitmer have both the authority and the responsibility to reject Enbridge’s tunnel scheme and protect the Great Lakes for future generations.”
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