Enbridge Line 5

The Line5 pipeline runs between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, two major nodes of the Enbridge Pipeline System. The Enbridge terminal at Superior conveys western Canadian crude oil from various incoming pipelines (including Lines1–4) to Line5 and Line6, which go around the northern and southern shores of Lake Michigan respectively. From Superior, Line5 travels east to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, then runs southeast to Rapid River, near Escanaba. The lines are buried until they reach a depth of . The lines descend to a depth of approximately under the straits. At the Lewiston pumping station, US sweet crude may be injected. Just before the St.Clair River, Line5 reaches the Marysville pumping station. Volumes destined for Michigan and Ohio refineries such as BPHusky and Marathon Detroit are offloaded there, The line then proceeds east across the St.Clair River to Ontario, where it rejoins Line6 and terminates at Sarnia. Any volumes not destined for Sarnia-area refineries are then pumped into tanks for transfer to Enbridge Line7. ==History==

The construction of Line 5 was completed in 1953. In 2013, the line's capacity was increased by per day, from . The upgrade involved US$100 million in improvements to pumping stations, but with no upgrades to the actual pipes. In 2018, a tugboat anchor hit the pipeline, causing a fluid leak and minor damage to the pipe. Also in 2018, Enbridge and the State of Michigan agreed to build a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac that will contain the pipeline. Line 5 in the Straits consists of two 20-inch pipelines, an east leg and a west leg, running parallel to each other for the 4.5 miles across the lakebed. On June 18, 2020, a screw anchor support on the east leg was found to have shifted from its original position. The shift was caused by Enbridge's seasonal maintenance work, which affected the anchor support and not the pipeline itself. On June 20, 2020, Enbridge reported that a June 19 remote-operated vehicle inspection of the west leg of Line 5 in the Straits had detected no issues or damage to the anchor structures or pipeline. Operations resumed on that line on the same day. The east leg was to remain shut down. The federal regulator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration raised no objections to the plan. Enbridge CEO Al Monaco responded to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to confirm that Enbridge was committed to sharing what is learned about the incident with the screw anchor assembly on the east leg with PHMSA and the State of Michigan. Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA) agreement about tunnel On December 19, 2018, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA), in correspondence with outgoing Governor Rick Snyder, had approved a plan to build a multi-purpose tunnel that would house multiple utility lines, to remove the old Enbridge Line 5 and to construct a new line. The MSCA approved the transfer of a property right, allowing Enbridge to construct the new tunnel in the bedrock beneath the Straits of Mackinac. The project has faced fierce opposition from environmentalists and several tribal authorities. were then shipping 540,000 barrels of oil and propane per day. A Reuters news report defined Line 5 as "a critical part of Enbridge's Mainline network, which delivers the bulk of Canadian crude exports to the United States". The basis of the suit is the claim that the pipeline is a public nuisance and violates the Michigan Environmental Protection Act since it may become a major source of pollution. The news report added that "it is unclear if Line 5 could operate without the Straits segment". Attorney General Dana Nessel commented: "We cannot prevent accidental or emergency anchor deployments in one of the busiest shipping channels in the Great Lakes. And it only takes one such incident to cause an environmental and economic catastrophe. That is a risk no one should be willing to take". Michigan Senate Republicans expressed concern about the potential shutdown of the pipeline, which they said could create other problems: "the loss of thousands of construction jobs expected from the tunnel construction, an increase in costs at Detroit and Toledo refineries and the loss of a significant mode of propane transportation in Michigan. It is estimated that replacing the propane lost by closing the line would require an additional 30,000 truckloads and 9,600 rail cars annually". In June 2020, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the emergency response for the pipeline was adequate to protect wildlife in the Straits of Mackinac and the Michigan Court of Appeals sided with its ruling. Enbridge has stated that the pipeline is in good condition even though the outer coating has worn away in some places and steel braces are placed at places hit by erosion. It plans the construction of a utility tunnel in the bedrock under the Straits of Mackinac-the connector of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, to house the Line 5 pipeline and to replace its six-kilometer underwater segment. Enbridge intends to begin work on the tunnel once it received all the necessary permits and expected to complete construction by 2024. In 2019, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa filed a lawsuit against Enbridge. Enbridge was ordered to find an alternative route or shut the pipeline down by June 2026. The pipeline supplies fuel to much of Ontario and Quebec. ==Controversies==

The 2013 expansion, coupled with the anticipated expansion of the Alberta Clipper pipeline, led to concerns from the National Wildlife Federation and other groups over the possible shipment of diluted bitumen from the Alberta oil sands through Line 5. However, Enbridge has denied any plans to pump such materials. Line 5 ships nearly 23 million gallons of crude oil and petroleum products every day. A 2011 toll agreement describes the materials as "condensate, light synthetic, sweet, light sour and NGL," However, there have been numerous spills elsewhere in Michigan from Enbridge pipelines, including a major Line 5 spill at Crystal Falls in 1999, as well as the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill on Line 6. In a statement, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette requested that Enbridge to comply with the safety regulations, "We will insist that Enbridge fully comply with the conditions of the Straits Pipeline Easement to protect our precious environmental and economic resources and limit the risk of disaster threatening our waters." According to a 2016 study published by the University of Michigan, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a leak in Enbridge 5 near the Straits of Mackinac could affect roughly 700 miles of shoreline. Key areas recognized for the highest potential risk include Mackinac Island, Bois Blanc Island, Mackinaw City, and areas on the northern shore and southern shore of the Straits with 3,528 square miles (15%) of Lake Michigan's open water and roughly 13,611 square miles (60%) of Lake Huron's open water possibly impacted by visible oil. In addition, highly turbulent flowing currents found within the Straits of Mackinac, combined with the degrading enzymes secreted by zebra mussels, and aging pipe welds and coal tar enamel, increases the risk for corrosion and potential fissures to occur in the pipes. Although the University of Michigan study showcased worst case scenarios, experts recommend completing a risk analysis that includes, "1) analysis of environmental impacts, 2) cleanup costs, 3) restoration and remediation measures, 4) a natural resource damage assessment, and 5) Economic damage to public and private sector interests." The current working draft of the EIS was released by the WDNR on December 16, 2021. The 369-page first volume of the document almost immediately drew sharp criticism from environmental advocates and tribal leadership of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians whose land is intersected by the pipeline. The WDNR hosted a public hearing on February 2, 2022, that lasted nearly 10 hours and was host to a number of arguments over the environmental, economic, and public health ramifications of the project. Congressman Tom Tiffany spoke in favor of the pipeline expansion and former Bad River Band chairman Mike Wiggins Jr. was one of many speaking against it. In the course of the comment period, the DNR reportedly received over 32,000 comments. In August 2022, the Canadian government again invoked a 1977 treaty with the United States in order to prevent the shutdown of the pipeline in Wisconsin, citing concerns about jobs, energy security, and the economy. Canada, which backs Enbridge, invoked the treaty for the first time in 2021 when the state of Michigan attempted to shut down Line 5 under the Straits of Mackinac due to environmental concerns. ==See also==