Ann Arbor, MICH. — Today, the Associated Press reported that the protective coating on Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac has worn away in at least 4 spots. Lack of coating, and lack of disclosure of missing coating by Enbridge, has plagued Line 5 for many years. Below is an on-the-record quote from Beth Wallace, the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Campaigns Manager and the individual who first exposed the risks that Line 5 poses to the Great Lakes.

“Next month will mark 10 years since Enbridge’s pipeline devastated the Kalamazoo River because they failed to maintain their pipeline, leading to millions of gallons of toxic oil covering 40 miles of fresh water. Midland is still reeling from yet another piece of energy infrastructure that was allowed to continue to operate well beyond its design life while known defects loomed. Today’s disclosures about missing coating on Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac inject even more urgency into Governor Whitmer’s pending decisions on Line 5. The Governor needs to act on Line 5 now by revoking the easement and doing everything in her authority to protect the citizen of Michigan from yet another disaster that would damage our drinking water, Great Lakes, and recreational tourism economy. Enbridge has proven time and time again that this pipeline cannot be maintained as required by law. We can’t continue to play Russian Roulette with the Great Lakes by waiting for Enbridge’s proposed tunnel.“