A significant decision has been made regarding the future of a contentious energy project in northern Wisconsin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted a federal permit for Enbridge, a Canadian energy company, allowing them to proceed with their oil and gas pipeline relocation, circumventing a Native American reservation.
Permit Granted for Line 5 Relocation
The Army Corps’ website confirms the permit issuance for the construction associated with Enbridge’s Line 5 project. Enbridge is planning a $450 million initiative to redirect the 30-inch pipeline over a 41-mile stretch around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation, located in Ashland and Iron counties.
Adam Telle, the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, celebrated the approval, stating, “The approval of the Enbridge Line 5 reroute application is a great success and will advance the president’s energy dominance agenda for America.” Telle emphasized that the decision reflects a “balanced approach to infrastructure development and environmental regulation consistent with statutory direction.”
The permit was reviewed under the Clean Water Act, focusing on construction activities affecting federal waters and Enbridge’s plans to drill beneath the White River. Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner described the permit as a “major project milestone.”
Environmental and Tribal Concerns
The proposed pipeline route involves crossing approximately 200 waterways and temporarily impacting around 101 acres of wetlands in the region. The construction plans include blasting bedrock and drilling in sensitive areas close to internationally recognized wild rice beds.
The Bad River tribe has strongly opposed the project, arguing it would violate their water quality standards and potentially exacerbate water temperature, runoff, and contamination issues. However, the EPA has determined that tribal data did not demonstrate that the project would harm water quality, although the agency acknowledged potential “substantial and unacceptable” impacts during the Biden administration.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued state permits, which are currently contested by the tribe and environmental groups. A recent hearing concluded, and parties are awaiting a decision from an administrative law judge. The DNR maintains that it adhered to legal procedures when granting the permits.
Kellner expressed confidence that state permits will be validated soon, allowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Proffered Permit to be completed and construction to commence.
Economic and Safety Implications
Supporters of the project, including labor unions and agricultural organizations, argue that it will sustain essential energy supplies in the region. They highlight the creation of 700 jobs and an estimated $135 million economic impact.
Conversely, opponents raise concerns about Enbridge’s history of pipeline spills, including aquifer breaches on Line 3 and a significant 2010 spill in Michigan’s Kalamazoo River, which released over 1.2 million gallons of oil.
Line 5, a crucial conduit transporting up to 23 million gallons of oil and natural gas liquids daily, links Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. The Bad River tribe has taken legal action against Enbridge to remove Line 5 from their lands after easements expired. In 2023, a federal judge ordered Enbridge to pay the tribe $5.15 million for trespassing and to reroute or shut down the pipeline by June 2026. Both parties are appealing this decision.
