Midwest Environmental Advocates is taking legal action, challenging regulatory approvals issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Enbridge Energy’s plan to build a new 41-mile segment of its Line 5 oil pipeline near the Bad River Reservation in northern Wisconsin.
The petition alleges that DNR could not lawfully approve the reroute project because Enbridge failed to show that its plans will minimize harm to the waterbodies and wetlands that will be impacted by pipeline construction.
The petition also alleges that Enbridge’s construction and restoration plans consistently understate the environmental damage the project will cause and overstate the company’s ability to repair the damage.
This 70-year-old pipeline currently cuts across the heart of the Bad River Reservation, where it has been trespassing on Tribal land for more than a decade. Instead of shutting down this aging and dangerous pipeline, Enbridge plans to build a new 40-mile section around the perimeter of the Reservation, keeping the pipeline operational within the Bad River watershed and exposing critical resources to a potentially catastrophic oil spill.
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is proud to be represented by Midwest Environmental Advocates and stand with our friends at Sierra Club and 350 Wisconsin. Learn more.
It's not going to be an easy fight standing up to a large corporation like Enbridge. We can't do it alone. We need your support to continue this critical work.
Sincerely, Debra Cronmiller, Executive Director LWVWI
