The UP Energy Task Force report came in two phases, with the section on propane supply being released in April 2020. Member Roman Sidortsov, a professor at Michigan Tech, says that Enbridge actively participated in the group’s efforts, but the closure of Line Five was not part of their charge.
Sidortsov says that this year’s Part II focusing on energy supplies dealt with the other aspects of the overall issue. Sidortsov says he believes the commission’s work can help guide the Upper Peninsula away from having the highest energy prices in the country. He will be this week’s guest on Copper Country Today airing on Sunday morning.
Representative Greg Markkanen picked up on the fact that policy experts have been quiet on Line Five, saying that he intends to continue to support Enbridge in their efforts.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s deadline for Enbridge to shut the pipeline down passed earlier this month with the company remaining defiant. They have taken the case to court. Governor Rick Snyder and Enbridge reached an agreement to move the pipeline from the floor of the Straits of Mackinac to a tunnel underground.