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Line 5 through the Bad River Reservation

In 2019, the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa filed a federal lawsuit alleging Enbridge’s Line 5 was trespassing on its Reservation, seeking immediate removal of the pipe and financial damages.

Since then, we have continued to work diligently to find an equitable and amicable solution to our dispute with the Bad River Band that recognizes the Band’s sovereignty, and addresses their concerns, while also allowing the continued delivery of vital energy that millions of people rely on every day throughout the Great Lakes region.

In 2020, Enbridge applied for permits for a 41-mile relocation of Line 5 around the Bad River Reservation. Construction will begin once all necessary permits have been received.

Line 5 Wisconsin Segment Relocation Project: Proposed route

Line 5 potential reroute in Wisconsin

$80M settlement offer

Enbridge is offering $80 million to the Bad River Band to settle past disputes.

We don’t intend to operate on the Bad River Reservation a day longer than it takes to finish the Line 5 Wisconsin Segment Relocation Project. We simply want to continue to safely operate this critical energy infrastructure until the relocation project is completed.

Line 5 pipeline safety

At Enbridge, safety is our top priority—and the very foundation of our business.

As we do with our entire pipeline network, we monitor Line 5 on a 24/7 basis from our dedicated control center, using specially trained staff and multiple, overlapping computer monitoring systems. Upon detection of an issue that may require further investigation, our staff can immediately close remotely controlled isolation valves, with full closure occurring within three minutes of activation to isolate the affected section of the line.

Prevention is a critical component of pipeline safety, and we focus on prevention at Enbridge before issues arise—not only via 24/7 monitoring, but through the use of inline inspection (ILI) tools, highly complex pieces of equipment that move through our pipes and use advanced sensor technology to inspect pipe walls millimeter by millimeter.

Correspondence with the Bad River Band