Judge OKs oil flow through second Great Lakes pipeline
Enbridge said it will fully resume operation of a Michigan Great Lakes oil pipeline after a partial shutdown this summer because of damage to a support structure.
Circuit Judge James Jamo signed an order allowing the Canadian company to restore the flow through one of its Line 5 pipes beneath the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
The line carries oil and liquids used in propane between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, passing through parts of Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. A 4-mile-long (6.4-kilometerslong) segment divides into two pipes that cross the straits.
Enbridge reported in June that an anchor supporting the underwater section’s eastern leg had been bent and scraped, although the pipe itself was unharmed. An investigation concluded that a vessel - possibly belonging to one of Enbridge’s contractors - might have dragged a mooring cable across the pipes.
Jamo approved a request June 25 from state Attorney General Dana Nessel to close the line, but six days later allowed Enbridge to restart the western leg.
The judge said Enbridge could resume the flow through the eastern leg as well. He noted that the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration had given its approval last week, saying a review had found no “integrity issues” in the area around the damaged support anchor. (AP)