Groups Call for Stronger Response In Enbridge Line 5 Saga

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water-79

Some water quality groups say Michigan needs to take a stronger stance against Enbridge for its refusal to assume responsibility for losses related to a potential Line 5 oil pipeline failure in the Great Lakes. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced on Wednesday the pipeline company has not agreed to provide a minimum of $900 million in liability insurance to cover all damages and losses caused to property or individuals due to the operation of the pipelines through the Straits of Mackinac. Liz Kirkwood with advocacy group FLOW says that while financial assurances are nice, they can’t keep the Great Lakes whole.

“But ultimately the fate of Line 5 is really a race against time. We’re either going to act with the kind of prudence and precaution that we should or we will end up with a catastrophic disaster.”

Kirkwood says Governor Gretchen Whitmer should begin the legal processes of decommissioning Line 5. Enbridge pledged to take full responsibility for the cleanup of any incident along its pipeline system, but state leaders are demanding a written commitment.