There are dozens of reasons why the tunnel permit for the proposed Enbridge Line 5 crude oil pipeline expansion through the Great Lakes should be denied.
Ecologically Sensitive Ecosystem
- The pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac cross one of the world's most ecologically sensitive areas. University of Michigan scientists modeled the currents in the Straits of Mackinac and called it "the worst possible place for an oil spill in the Great Lakes."
- The Great Lakes support a wealth of biological diversity, including over 200 globally rare plants and animals and more than 40 species found nowhere else. During their life cycle, 140 bird species depend on Michigan’s coastal habitat, and more than 160 native fish species live in these waters.
- Oil spills in freshwater ecosystems cause both short-term and long-term effects. Beyond the immediate threat to fish and wildlife, oil spills can also affect the spawning success of trout because the eggs of trout and other salmon species are “highly sensitive to oil toxins,” according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Small amounts of oil can kill fish eggs, and oil toxicants that linger in sediment and aquatic vegetation long after a spill is “cleaned up” can harm aquatic ecosystems for decades.
- Even with a tunnel, Line 5 remains a major risk since it crosses 400 rivers, streams, and wetlands.
Construction-related Pollution
- The slurry, or drilling mud Enbridge plans to use in excavating the tunnel, is a big concern, considering they will discharge five million gallons of wastewater daily into Lake Michigan.
- The slurry is a mix of bentonite clay, water, and additives. Enbridge hasn’t said how it will remove bentonite clay from the slurry before discharge. When mixed with water, bentonite will stick to everything it touches – killing off fisheries and destroying our drinking water.
Tunnel Explosion Risk
- Constructing a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac poses an explosion risk.
- If groundwater infiltrates the tunnel, methane dissolves into the air. A spark from a machine or other source could cause an explosion and threaten the construction crew.
- While rare, tunnel explosions do occur. In Port Huron, 17 men died from a methane explosion while constructing a tunnel that was five miles from shore in similar limestone bedrock under Lake Huron. Three were also killed in a Milwaukee tunnel incident in 1989.
Enbridge’s Safety Record
- Enbridge is responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history, which occurred in 2010 when Line 6B spilled 1.1 million gallons of tar sands bitumen into the Kalamazoo River.
- To date, 33 documented spills have occurred on Line 5, totaling more than 1 million gallons since 1968.
- When Enbridge recently constructed Line 3 in Minnesota, missteps caused them to breach at least four groundwater aquifers. Damage to public groundwater resources during tunnel construction would be just as likely in Michigan while threatening the drinking water for 40 million people.
Addressing the Climate Crisis
- A tunnel would worsen the impacts of the climate crisis by adding 27 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere, equivalent to 10 coal-fired power plants.
- One of the most extreme forms of energy is tar sands oil (which runs through Line 5). Tar Sands extraction and production destroys ecosystems and wildlife habitat. It also releases 20 percent more carbon into the atmosphere than traditional oil because of the increased energy it takes to extract and refine the raw form into usable fuels.
- Scientists warn we have less than 10 years to reduce carbon emissions by half or face dire consequences from a dangerously overheating climate.
Extending the life of Line 5 is at odds with the State’s MI Healthy Climate Plan, which lays out a pathway to reach 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.
Economic and Community Impact
- The Great Lakes support a thriving $7 billion fishing industry and a $20 billion tourism industry while serving as a crucial route for commercial shipping.
- According to a Michigan State University study, a disaster in the Straits could trigger a domino effect, disrupting Great Lakes commercial shipping and steel production, slashing jobs, and shrinking the nation’s GDP by $45 billion after just 15 days.
- A comprehensive study by London Economics International shows a planned shutdown of Line 5 might result in a temporary price increase of less than 5¢/gallon- well within normal market price fluctuations. Another report released in October 2023 by PLG Consulting showed markets will adapt without price spikes or shortages.
- Enbridge only employs 116 workers and provisioned contractors in Michigan. More jobs would be created by decommissioning and removing Line 5 (2,188 jobs) than by building a tunnel (1,763 temporary jobs).
- More than 1.3 million regional jobs depend on the Great Lakes, creating $82 billion in annual wages.
Alternatives
- According to Enbridge’s experts, we can meet the energy needs of the Great Lakes region and remove the threat to our waters by making smart adjustments to the existing North American pipeline system.
- The oil industry is fighting this transition to clean energy. There is a better future for the Great Lakes, our health, and Michigan’s economy. Let’s start moving towards that clean energy future and stop allowing old oil pipelines to put the Great Lakes at risk.
- Shifting away from our oil dependency is already underway. In 2012, U.S. fuel efficiency standards were increased to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by 2025, making them twice as efficient as cars sold in 2011. This will reduce U.S. oil consumption by 12 billion barrels and save Americans $1.7 trillion at the gas pump.
- Public transit continues to grow in the U.S., with transit ridership rising more than 37 percent in the past 20 years. Public transit is a $57 billion industry that employs more than 400,000 people nationwide.
Tribal Sovereignty
- The Straits of Mackinac are considered sacred to many Indigenous people. The area is also an essential fishing ground for Anishinaabe tribes in Michigan, and they are reserved to the tribes in perpetuity in treaties with the U.S.
- Many federally recognized tribes have adopted resolutions calling for the shutdown of oil flow in Enbridge Line 5.
Tribal leaders and community members discuss the impacts of Line 5 and the harm a tunnel would have on Native communities – click to watch “Water is Life.”