EGLE opens public comment phase for Line 5 tunnel project
Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has opened a public comment period for the Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac. According to WLNS 6 News, members of the public can submit comments until Aug 29, with the EGLE launching a full review of the project this week.
Enbridge Energy is currently planning to build a 3.4-mile tunnel underneath Lake Michigan, and relocating the Line 5 pipelines within the tunnel on the lakebed. According to Enbridge, the tunnel will better protect the pipeline as concerns have grown surrounding the age of the pipeline and its structural integrity. In operation since 1953, officials in recent years have pointed out gaps in the pipeline's coating in the Straits of Mackinac, raising concerns of a potential oil spill in the Great Lakes.
The project has not been without controversy, however. Environmentalists and tribe members in Michigan have asked state officials to overturn Enbridge's permit, stating that the company's history makes the project too risky.
Public comments were opened due to “substantial public interest in the application,” according to the EGLE and WLNS 6 News.
The EGLE will hold two virtual meetings during the public notice period, an informational session on Aug. 12 and a formal public hearing on Aug. 19, where comments will be received for the record.
Additional comments will be accepted through Aug 29.
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