Enbridge Line 5 is a 645-mile-long pipeline between Superior, WI and Sarnia, Ontario. It crosses over 400 ecologically sensitive wetlands and waterways in the Great Lakes watershed, which supplies the drinking water for 48 million people. Enbridge has promoted its pipeline as a reliable, safe, and affordable method of delivering energy.

These pipelines impact an incredibly large swath of Wisconsin waterways and drinking water supply. With that in mind, what is Enbridge not sharing with you?

In December 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released their draft Environmental Impact Statement on Enbridge’s proposed reroute and expansion of the Line 5 pipeline around the Bad River Reservation. During the public comment period following the posting of the dEIS, over 30,000 comments were submitted to the WDNR, indicating a high level of interest among citizens.
The Sierra Club Wisconsin and 350 Wisconsin conducted an analysis of the comments, categorizing them by topic. This analysis, conducted by volunteers, was overseen by Greg Mikkelson, Ecological Economist at the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy. Click to view the document…

The Army Corps of Engineers (Detroit District) is accepting scoping comments on the proposed tunnel project under the Straits of Mackinac prior to preparing a full Environmental Impact Statement. This is our opportunity to weigh in on the issues and topics we think should be addressed in an EIS. Our LWV-ABC natural resources committee drafted scoping comments and once again our State League (LWVWI) supported us and submitted the comments. (Click Read More…)

We hope individuals will also submit comments by October 14 at the following website: https://www.line5tunneleis.com/comment-here/

Click image to view the LWVABC written comments.

On Dec. 16, 2021 the DNR released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Ebridge's proposed relocation of its Line 5 petroleum pipeline in Ashland, Bayfield and Iron Counties. Access the two-volume Draft EIS below, under Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will accept written comments through Friday, March 4, 2022, and will hold a virtual hearing Wednesday, February 2, 2022.

You are also invited to attend a webinar on the threat posed by Enbridge gas and oil pipelines to the Great Lakes Watershed on January 6th at 6:30pm.

Granting permits to Enbridge for Line 5 is fiscally irresponsible. The risks to our economy and jobs, which rely so heavily on clean water, are too great. We will be left “holding the bag” for this stranded asset as global markets move away from fossil fuels. Enbridge recently shortened depreciated life of its pipelines from 30 to 20 years.