ANN ARBOR, Mich. —  Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to challenge the Michigan Department of Energy, Environment, and Great Lakes’ (EGLE) permits puts the Great Lakes first and is a meaningful step to protect our waters, wildlife, communities, as well as Tribal and cultural resources from irrevocable disaster. 

“Governor Gretchen Whitmer made a promise to protect the Great Lakes and now she’s keeping it,” said Beth Wallace, climate and energy director for the National Wildlife Federation. “These bold steps toward revoking the Line 5 tunnel permit not only stop a dangerous and outdated pipeline, but confirm that Michigan does not have to gamble on the future of the Great Lakes. Amid the ongoing investigation and clean up in Wisconsin’s Line 5 reroute spill, this is especially timely, and leaders in Wisconsin should be emboldened to follow suit.” 

"The governor is right: Line 5's days are numbered, the tunnel is not an option, and Enbridge must come up with other alternatives," said Andy Buchsbaum, attorney for the Great Lakes Business Network. "The good news is that there already are plenty of cost-effective alternatives to get oil and propane to Michigan consumers and refineries without Line 5. Enbridge's own experts admit that other pipelines, waterborne shipping — not through the Great Lakes — and rail will replace all of Line 5's oil and propane when it shuts down. And that's not even considering that clean energy alternatives already are reducing the demand for Line 5 and growing Michigan jobs and the Michigan economy. Our businesses rely on oil and propane; we wouldn't support a shutdown if it meant supply shortages or price increases."

In a letter to Enbridge, Whitmer declared that the tunnel is not a viable alternative for Line 5 and said that EGLE would reconsider its earlier permit to construct it while insisting that Enbridge must act now, develop a plan, and begin an orderly transition to decommission Line 5.