Reaction to President Trump’s recent decision to fast-track the Enbridge Line Five pipeline tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac has been mixed, and fairly predictable.
The U.P.’s state legislative delegation – all Republicans – unanimously endorsed the move. Karl Bohnak, whose 109th District includes Baraga County, called the pipeline “absolutely critical for continued access to reliable and affordable energy in the U.P.”
Sean McBrearty, from the environmental group Oil & Water Don’t Mix, called the decision a sham, designed to avoid taking a serious look at the potential environmental problems associated with the pipeline.
The proposed tunnel would house a replacement for the aging pipeline that currently rests on the straits floor.
While the decision could speed up the timeline, it could also prompt a new legal challenge. Federal regulations that empower the Army Corps of Engineers to fast track such projects also limit that power to urgent, breaking emergency situations which would result in “an unacceptable hazard to life, a significant loss of property, or an immediate, unforeseen, and significant economic hardship.”
Critics say this situation doesn’t meet that criteria.
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