Michigan Regulators Approve Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Permits

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) granted the permits despite acknowledging the project will cause significant damage to threatened species and Indigenous burial grounds. Officials framed the decision as a necessary move to mitigate the risk of a catastrophic oil spill, citing the pipeline's history of being struck by ship anchors. However, the move has drawn sharp condemnation from groups like the Bay Mills Indian Community, who view the regulatory approval as a profound betrayal of state environmental commitments.

Whitney Gravelle, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community, described the decision as a reward for a company with a documented history of safety violations and ecosystem destruction. Environmental legal organization Earthjustice warned the project will turn the Straits of Mackinac into an industrial construction zone for at least six years, threatening regional tourism and wildlife habitats. While the state continues to navigate legal disputes regarding the pipeline's operation, the construction of the tunnel remains a volatile point of contention for Governor Gretchen Whitmer, whose 2018 campaign included a pledge to shut down the line entirely.