Michigan Drops Case Against Important Energy Project

As Politico reported last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) has decided to drop a federal legal challenge against Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, opting instead to keep the litigation in state court. In a press release, however, the governor said she is still focused on “protecting the Great Lakes, which means shutting down the Line 5 dual oil pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac as soon as possible.”

Enbridge said it would still push for the issue to be settled in federal instead of state court.

As Connecting the Dots reported previously, the Canadian government supports the pipeline and asked for the U.S. government’s involvement when invoking a 1977 treaty (for the first time) that secures fuel transport between the two countries. The Biden administration has not yet weighed in on the matter and Canadian officials are not the only ones who are hoping President Joe Biden will act.

According to the Politico report referenced above, pipeline opponents are still hopeful that the Biden administration will nix the pipeline. For example, Mike Shriberg, Great Lakes regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, said, ”President Biden can and should act swiftly to stop Enbridge’s meritless legal claims that have one goal: delay.”