Enbridge : response to Michigan Attorney General’s Legal Filing

June 27, 2019

Enbridge will need time to fully evaluate the Attorney General's filing.

We are disappointed the State chose not to accept our offer to advance talks on the Straits tunnel, a project that would make a safe pipeline even safer. The State also ignored our offer to suspend litigation and jointly appoint an independent, Michigan-based moderator to help facilitate the discussions. We also committed to making additional safety enhancements to the current line.

We remain open to discussions with the Governor, and we hope we can reach an agreement outside of court. The lawsuit will take time to work through the court system, and in the meantime we will continue to safely operate Line 5. Enbridge is deeply committed to being part of Michigan's future. We believe the Straits tunnel is the best way to protect the community and the Great Lakes while safely meeting Michigan's energy needs.

Line 5 is a critical source of 540,000 barrels per day of propane and crude oil supply for Michigan and surrounding areas, and shutting it down would lead to a serious disruption of the energy market. Line 5 serves an estimated 55% of the state's propane needs, including approximately 65% of the propane used in the Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan, for which no viable alternatives exist.

Line 5 also supplies Michigan and regional refineries that provide the state with various fuels its residents rely on in their day-to-day lives. Refineries served by Line 5 supply a large percentage of the aviation fuel at Detroit's Metropolitan Airport, an important contributor to the state's economy.

Shutting down the line would impact the pocketbooks of Michigan residents, the competitiveness of the state and could lead to job losses for those working at refineries.

Line 5 is critical infrastructure that Michigan residents depend on every day, and it would be irresponsible to shut it down. It is safe and well maintained, and we intend to continue to operate it for decades to come.

Background information on Line 5 and the tunnel project is available here.