ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The ruling by Judge Neff that Enbridge Energy v. Michigan will remain in federal court allows the legal system to finally begin to hear the merits of the case. The ruling also highlights that the Biden Administration is squarely in the middle of the Line 5 debate and should engage and help protect the Great Lakes and the people and wildlife that depend upon its clean water.

“This case is now not only about the future of Line 5 but also about the ability of Michigan to protect the Great Lakes. It is the height of arrogance for Canada to shill for Enbridge and interfere in the U.S. legal system by attempting to invoke a treaty that has a specific exemption for environmental protection and cannot supersede the rights of native Americans and other laws that protect the Great Lakes," said Beth Wallace, Great Lakes freshwater campaigns manager for the National Wildlife Federation. "We look forward to a debate in court about the merits. Now it’s time for President Biden to stand with Governor Whitmer to uphold state and Tribal sovereignty in this case. The protection of the Great Lakes, along with the communities that depend on their clean freshwater, needs to come before the interests of a foreign oil corporation that has proven time and time again they are not safely operating this pipeline. Line 5 is an urgent risk and we can’t continue to delay its removal."