{"id":11374,"date":"2021-01-15t17:05:32","date_gmt":"2021-01-15t17:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dpetrov.2create.studio\/planet\/wordpress\/michigan-governor-aims-to-shut-down-oil-pipeline-fierce-court-battles-expected\/"},"modified":"2021-01-15t17:05:32","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15t17:05:32","slug":"michigan-oil-pipeline-shutdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/michigan-oil-pipeline-shutdown\/","title":{"rendered":"michigan governor aims to shut down oil pipeline; fierce court battles expected"},"content":{"rendered":"

by jenna spray<\/strong><\/p>\n

on friday, nov. 13, michigan gov. gretchen whitmer utilized her executive powers, in conjunction with the department of natural resources director daniel eichinger, to revoke the easement allowing a crude oil pipeline\u2014line 5\u2014to operate in the straits of mackinac. the decision comes after more than 15 months of investigation into possible environmental and safety risks.<\/p>\n

enbridge, the energy company operating line 5, will have until may 2021 to shut the pipeline down. enbridge is predicted to fight the easement\u2019s revocation in court, but, until then, will continue to seek the necessary permits to proceed with their tunnel project. the energy company is relying on the michigan public service commission (mpsc) to approve its request in an ongoing contested case.<\/p>\n

but a december 9 mpsc meeting may have delayed enbridge\u2019s desired outcome; the board decided that whitmer\u2019s notice fundamentally changes what each party is hoping for out of the permit decision, and the case will revert to an administrative judge to redefine the case\u2019s scope. the decision pleased environmental groups, who see it as a step backward for enbridge.<\/p>\n

just miles east of the towering mackinac bridge lies a tiny island suspended in colonial history. mackinac island, the jewel of the midwest, is home to a permanent population of just 473<\/a>, but hosts over a million visitors<\/a> each summer.<\/p>\n

the island\u2019s culture revolves around resisting modernity. no cars are allowed; all travel must be carried out via bicycle or horse. colonial homes are maintained for tourists\u2019 pleasure, and old-fashioned fudge shops decorate main street. however, just miles west of the lake huron paradise lies a 645-mile, 30-inch-diameter crude oil pipeline <\/a>constantly at risk of a rupture.<\/p>\n

currents running through the straits of mackinac on any given day deliver double<\/a> the power of the headwaters of the mississippi river<\/a>, and the lake currents change directions every three days.<\/p>\n

imagine a piece of steel wire in the hands of an eager child. the wire is strong, flexible, and able to maintain its shape without difficulty\u2014that is, until it gets bent one too many times. suddenly, all that is left are two fractured, sharp pieces, crumbled under the pressure of the violent contortions.<\/p>\n

this is the prognosis of many experts for line 5. the 67-year-old pipeline<\/a>\u2014designed to last 50 years\u2014has seen better days, and now threatens to wreak havoc on great lakes ecosystems, the public health of local communities and the economies of every state bordering lakes michigan and huron.<\/p>\n

\u201ca worst-case scenario is a wintertime rupture in rough seas. it would be catastrophic to those communities and to the environment, the habitats, and the wildlife in the straits. it’s just a really risky, dumb place to put a pipeline. and that’s not counting the other almost 400 water crossings that enbridge themselves say exist,\u201d said nathan murphy, director of environment michigan.<\/p>\n

a 2016 study<\/a> by the university of michigan\u2019s graham sustainability institute formed the foundation of many advocacy groups\u2019 arguments to shut down line 5. the study simulated different possibilities for spills in the straits and how the spill, greatly impacted by current and wind changes, would affect lakes michigan and huron and nearby shoreline.<\/p>\n

\u201cline 5 is monitored 24\/7 by a dedicated team. if there is a change in pressure or flow, automatic shut off valves on either side of the straits crossing will immediately shut off flow in minutes and activate trained enbridge responders. the bottom line is enbridge will take full responsibility and pay for all costs related to an incident.  further, federal law imposes an obligation on any party responsible for such an incident to pay all costs for cleanup, restoration, and remediation,\u201d said ryan duffy, communications strategist for enbridge.<\/p>\n

enbridge inc. has a poor track record when it comes to preventing spills and cleaning them up when they happen. their 2010 pipeline spill in the kalamazoo river has gone down in history as the largest inland oil spill to ever occur. it led to the evacuation of residents and a four-year-long cleanup<\/a> process that cost enbridge $700 million\u2014$50 million more than its insurance policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

third-party agencies such as the national transportation safety review board and the environmental protection agency found that enbridge had failed numerous times to implement safety standards, such as confronting documented and growing cracks along the pipeline, that could have prevented the devastating spill.<\/p>\n

a line 5 rupture could result in 1.27 million gallons of oil<\/a> dumped into the lakes, which would not only devastate ecosystems in the great lakes region but also end the delicate economic viability of local communities such as mackinac island, mackinaw city, and st. ignace.<\/p>\n