Straits of Mackinac

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that state energy regulators improperly limited environmental review of Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel project, requiring a broader assessment. Opponents, including tribal nations and environmental advocates, celebrated the decision as a victory for protecting the Great Lakes and public resources.

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the state regulator must reassess Enbridge Energy's Line 5 tunnel project due to insufficient analysis of environmental harms. The court found the Michigan Public Service Commission failed to properly evaluate potential impacts and alternatives, with the decision supported by six justices and one dissent. The pipeline, running through the Straits of Mackinac, faces challenges from tribal communities and environmental groups.

The Michigan Supreme Court rejected a permit for Enbridge's planned tunnel to carry Line 5 oil pipeline under the Great Lakes, citing regulatory failures in environmental impact assessments. The 6-1 decision mandates regulators reevaluate the project, which environmentalists and tribal nations argue poses catastrophic risks to the waterway and sacred Indigenous sites.

The Michigan Supreme Court has vacated a key permit for the Line 5 pipeline, which crosses the Straits of Mackinac. Concerns about potential oil spills from a pipeline rupture have sparked debate over relocating the pipeline into a concrete tunnel beneath the lakebed.

Michigan regulators approved key permits for Enbridge Energy's Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac, arguing it is necessary to prevent oil spills in the Great Lakes. Opponents, including environmental and tribal groups, criticized the decision as environmentally and culturally harmful, citing destruction of wetlands and historic resources.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued key permits for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel, despite acknowledging the project’s 'significant impacts.'

The Mackinac Bridge is at a lower risk of collapse from vessel collisions than the national threshold, according to a report by the Mackinac Bridge Authority and consultant Parsons. The study, conducted in response to the National Transportation Safety Board's request following the 2024 Baltimore bridge collapse, found the bridge's annual collapse probability is 0.000097, below AASHTO's limit for critical bridges.

The Mackinac Bridge was found to have a lower risk of collapse from ship collisions than national safety thresholds, according to a report by engineering firm Parsons. The study calculated a 10,350-year return period for potential collapse, below the .0001 limit for critical bridges, contrasting sharply with the 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.

The public comment period for Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel wastewater permit ends Tuesday, with environmental groups opposing the discharge of 7 million gallons of treated industrial wastewater into the Great Lakes daily. Enbridge claims the project includes environmental safeguards and AI monitoring, but critics question the adequacy of these measures to protect the lakes.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Michigan's lawsuit to shut down a section of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac will remain in state court, citing Enbridge's delay in moving the case to federal court. The pipeline, operational since 1953, has faced legal battles over safety concerns and environmental risks, with Michigan revoking its easement in 2020 and Enbridge seeking permits for a protective tunnel.