On Friday, U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop (R-Mich.) introduced legislation in Congress to protect the Great Lakes from aging oil pipelines. The Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act (H.R. 4787) establishes safety and structural integrity, coating, testing, and reporting requirements for oil pipelines which traverse the Great Lakes, such as Enbridge’s Line 5. It also establishes a 50-year lifespan for Great Lakes pipelines and establishes liability for an oil spill in the Great Lakes of $75 million plus full cleanup costs.

Mike Shriberg, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center, said:

“We appreciate Rep. Bishop’s initiative to protect our Great Lakes from aging oil pipelines like Line 5. Line 5 poses a significant risk to the Great Lakes and the communities, businesses and wildlife they support.”

The full text of the legislation can be found at: mikebishop.house.gov