With just over one week left to weigh in on Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel plan, opponents are urging Michiganders to speak up.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy began accepting comments on the plan earlier this month, and the public can submit feedback through August 29.
Line 5 is a 645-mile oil and natural gas pipeline running through Michigan and under the Straits of Mackinac, which opponents say poses a spill risk to the Great Lakes. Ross Fisher, with the non-profit Oil and Water Don’t Mix, says thousands of people have submitted comments in opposition to the project.
“We are hopeful that EGLE takes into serious consideration the number of comments they’re receiving that are in opposition that I think clearly will show that the public does not support this project,” Fisher said.
Enbridge is planning to replace the segment with a tunnel under the lakebed, but those in opposition to the tunnel argue it would still carry oil, prolong fossil fuel use, and take years to build. The company says it’s spent the last four years gathering environmental data to help fine-tune its plans, and it recognizes the importance of protecting the resources near the project area.
