Michigan residents voice support for Line 5
State authority hears kudos for Enbridge, Great Lakes Tunnel Project
Oct. 11, 2023
The Michigan authority that ultimately will have oversight of the Enbridge Great Lakes Tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac recently received an earful from residents.
“Diligence,” “attention to safety,” “appreciation of the environment” and “positive impact” were among the words residents shared in voicing their support of the Great Lakes Tunnel Project at a recent Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA) quarterly meeting. The MSCA hosted the Oct. 2 meeting to review the status of the project and to hear input from the community.
The Great Lakes Tunnel Project would take the current dual oil pipelines that rest on the floor of the Straits and place one pipeline inside a utility tunnel under the Straits, which could also include other important services like high-speed internet and 911 service for the area.
A tunnel under the Straits would reduce the chance of a release in the water to nearly zero and would allow energy to keep flowing to Michigan residents and the region. Enbridge would pay for the cost of the tunnel.
At the end of the meeting, several Michiganders voiced their support for the tunnel project and Enbridge. John Kostiuk, a Hudson Township Supervisor, said: “I love what Enbridge does. I happen to be the Hudson Township Supervisor, and I and the entire Township Order are 100% behind this project, we really are.”
Some residents like Al Garavalia, a self-described Yooper, wonder why it’s taking so long to get permits to build the tunnel. “I think encapsulating that pipeline in a tunnel is the right thing to do. Patience is not one of my virtues. I’m nosey. I am here to see when are we going to get ’er done,” said Garavalia.
“They understand the practical and environmental benefits the region will receive from the Great Lakes Tunnel Project.”
—Paul Meneghini, Enbridge manager of community engagement in Michigan
Broad support to build the tunnel
“The residents speaking in favor of the Great Lakes Tunnel reflect the views of 70% of Michiganders who support Enbridge’s construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel,” said Paul Meneghini, Enbridge community engagement manager.
“They understand the practical and environmental benefits the region will receive from the Great Lakes Tunnel Project and the continued safe operation of Line 5.”
As part of a 2018 agreement between the State of Michigan and Enbridge, the MSCA will own the tunnel post-construction and provide independent oversight.
Watch the Oct. 2 MSCA meeting.
