NWF Statement: Latest Enbridge Reports Like “Closing the Barn Door After the Horses Got Out”
(Ann Arbor, MI — June 29, 2018) — Today, the State of Michigan released three reports from Enbridge concerning Line 5 as part of its November 2017 deal with Governor Snyder. The reports provide Enbridge’s analysis of:
• Technologies that would provide additional benefits over and above technologies in place at the Line 5 Straits crossing.
• Options to mitigate the risk of a vessel anchor damaging Line 5 in the Straits.
• Priority waters crossed by Line 5 — jointly identified by the State and Enbridge — and an assessment of measures at each crossing to minimize the likelihood and consequences of a spill.
The reports can be viewed at: https://mipetroleumpipelines.com/document/enbridge-reports-november-2017-agreement.
Mike Shriberg, Great Lakes Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation and a member of Michigan’s Pipeline Safety Advisory Board, issued the following statement:
“These latest reports from Enbridge are part of their backroom deal with Gov. Snyder from last November. The National Wildlife Federation will analyze Enbridge’s reports in detail, taking into account Enbridge’s poor track record and vested interest in the continuation of utilizing the Great Lakes as a shortcut for oil and natural gas exports. Regardless, the surest way to minimize the risk of a spill at the Straits or at any other water crossing is to decommission Line 5. Given the recent anchor strike and breaks in coating, Enbridge’s report on mitigating these risks is like trying to close the barn door after the horses got out and the barn is falling down.”
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