Great Lakes Tunnel a common sense solution
Enbridge project helps ensure reliable, safe operation of Line 5, says
As was stated in the July 6 opinion column by Peter Prebble, reaching a resolution on Enbridge Line 5 does indeed require more than court action: It commands responsive action to advance safety and environmental protections.
That is why Enbridge remains focused on constructing the Great Lakes Tunnel Project, which 70 per cent of Michiganders favour, according to a recent poll.
The Great Lakes Tunnel will encase a replacement section of Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. Placed deep below the lake bed, it will eliminate the chance of an anchor strike to Line 5 and essentially eliminate the chance of a release.
The Great Lakes Tunnel is the common sense solution for the region to continue to receive the energy and products — from medicine to telephones — on which it relies while protecting the waterways we embrace.
It will be among the many measures Enbridge employs to help ensure the safe and reliable operation of Line 5.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer relied on events from more than a decade ago to bolster her political position in attempting to revoke the easement agreement between the state and Enbridge that enables Line 5 to operate in the Straits.
We have invested more than $100 million since 2018 on safety enhancements to Line 5 and to better assure the safety of the dual pipelines in the Straits until the tunnel is built.
The Straits safety measures include Enbridge's Straits Maritime Operations Center, electronic messaging to large vessels, water patrols and fixed cameras monitoring vessel traffic.
The event in Marshall more than a decade ago inspired Enbridge's transformation to becoming the responsive, safety-driven company we are today.
In 2012, the Kalamazoo River reopened to the public. What happened in Marshall continues to drive our relentless efforts to deliver on our No. 1 priority: safety and protection of the environment.
We have invested more than $8 billion on the most comprehensive pipeline maintenance and inspection program in the world to help keep our oil pipeline system running safely for the millions who rely on it.
It also is why we are investing more than $500 million to construct the Great Lakes Tunnel Project.
The tunnel reflects our commitment to doing what is best to preserve Michigan's natural resources, provide the energy on which families and businesses rely every day and support our regional economy.
Helping to ensure the region continues to receive a safe, viable source of energy does require more than court action.
It commands the vision and innovation of the Great Lakes Tunnel, which will help inform our healthy energy future.