Line 5 tunnel project secures Michigan DNR permit

(UI) — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued a permit for Enbridge's Great Lakes Tunnel project, authorizing construction activities under state law while requiring a series of measures to protect threatened plant species, bat habitat and other natural resources. 

The permit, issued under Part 365 of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, allows the proposed utility tunnel that would house a replacement segment of the 73-year-old Line 5 pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

As part of its review, the DNR determined the project would affect populations of Houghton's goldenrod and dwarf lake iris—both federally and state-listed threatened plant species—as well as habitat used by several bat species. Following consultations with Tribal governments and a review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the department concluded the project would not jeopardize the long-term recovery of the protected species, provided mitigation measures are implemented.

Under the permit, Enbridge must collect and preserve topsoil and seeds to restore affected plant populations following construction, monitor restoration areas for at least five years, limit tree clearing to winter months to avoid impacts on bats, minimize disturbance to sensitive vegetation, restrict herbicide use and evaluate long-term conservation measures to protect nearby habitat.

The Great Lakes Tunnel would relocate Line 5 into a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac, replacing the existing dual pipelines that have operated on the lakebed for more than seven decades.

The DNR permit represents one of several regulatory approvals required before construction can proceed. The project also remains subject to permitting by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), the Michigan Public Service Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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