Enbridge pipeline tunnel under Great Lakes rejected by Michigan court

Key Points:

• The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered state regulators to reconsider a permit for Enbridge's planned tunnel to carry the Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, citing insufficient environmental review.
• The 6-1 ruling highlighted that regulators failed to assess whether the tunnel would extend the pipeline's lifespan, potentially causing more environmental harm, and did not properly evaluate alternatives or impacts on public trust rights like fishing and boating.
• Line 5, a 73-year-old pipeline carrying oil from Wisconsin to Ontario, runs beneath the Great Lakes, and the tunnel project has faced opposition from environmental groups, Michigan's governor, and four tribal nations concerned about spill risks and the sacred nature of the site.
• Enbridge argues the tunnel would enhance environmental protection and energy reliability, while opponents warn that the project would cause prolonged construction disruption and permanent damage to the Straits, a site sacred to Indigenous Anishinaabe tribes.
• Enbridge is considering legal options following the ruling, which delays a project under review for nearly a decade that aims to reduce the risk of oil spills after a previous pipeline dent caused by a ship anchor.