Line 5 Hearings Coming Up

The future of the Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac will be the topic of two hearings in Traverse City, one Saturday, and the other on Monday. Liz Kirkwood, executive director of the group For Love of Water, tells us Line 5 has surpassed its lifetime in terms of safety. Her group believes it risks the health of the Great Lakes every day that it continues to carry oil.

“The magnitude of harm is so catastrophic, ranging be it $2 billion to $6 billion dollars’ economic blow to the region. And this body of water, the Great Lakes, is globally significant in that it contains 20 percent of the word’s fresh surface water.”

Monday’s hearing will include testimony from multiple federal agencies, from representatives of Enbridge, from local business people and from conservation groups. The only opportunity for public comment will be at Saturday’s forum.