Enbridge 'disappointed' as environmental review for Line 5 tunnel extended
Enbridge 'disappointed' as environmental review for Line 5 tunnel extended
An aboveground section of Enbridge's Line 5 at the Mackinaw City, Mich., pump station is photographed in October 2016. The company said the environment review of its proposed Great Lakes tunnel project has been pushed back to spring 2025. (File)
Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. has been dealt another setback on its Line 5 replacement project in Michigan.
The company said Thursday it was “disappointed” by news that the timeline of a U.S. federal review of Enbridge's proposed $500-million Great Lakes tunnel project has been pushed back by more than a year.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) said Thursday it now expects to complete its draft environmental impact statement for Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel permit application in spring 2025, rather than late 2023 as earlier indicated.
In an emailed statement, Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy said the USACE's decision to extend the permitting process further delays the replacement of the dual pipelines in Michigan's Straits of Mackinac, and will essentially push the start of construction until at least 2026.
“While we are supportive of a thorough, comprehensive and carefully considered permitting process that ensures adequate opportunity for review and comment, we are disappointed with the extended timeline for a project of this scope,” Duffy said.
He added Enbridge first submitted its application for the Great Lakes tunnel project in April 2020.
“As such, the USACE is estimating it will need six years to review and issue a decision for the project,” Duffy said.
Enbridge's Great Lakes tunnel project is intended to house a replacement segment of its existing Line 5 oil pipeline that crosses the bottom of the straits connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
The company said the tunnel will be bored through rock, as much as 100 feet below the lakebed, to “virtually eliminate” the chance of a pipeline spill affecting the Great Lakes.
It also said the project would cover only 6.4 km in length, require no construction within the waters of the straits, and is anticipated to impact less than one-quarter acre of wetlands.
However, the USACE revised its timeframe for the environmental review after receiving more than 17,000 public comments during its initial “scoping period.”
“We greatly appreciate the meaningful input received throughout scoping and will use this information to shape studies and continuing consultations throughout development of our draft environmental impact statement.” said USACE Detroit District Commander Lt. Col. Brett Boyle in a news release.
The development comes as yet another blow for Enbridge's embattled Line 5 pipeline in Michigan. The pipeline - which transports up to 540,000 barrels per day of light crude oil, synthetic crude and natural gas liquids to be refined into propane - was built in 1953 and supplies 55 per cent of the state's propane needs.
But in recent years, it has become a flashpoint for environmentalists and U.S. opponents of the fossil fuel sector.
The state of Michigan itself has been in court for years with Enbridge in an effort to shut down Line 5, fearing a disaster in the Straits of Mackinac, the ecologically sensitive region where the pipeline crosses the Great Lakes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2023.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has confidence in David Johnston, even as the House of Commons is about to vote in favour of a motion to push him out of his job.
Canada will soon require health warnings to be printed directly on individual cigarettes, making it the first country to implement this kind of measure aimed at reducing tobacco usage.
The Canadian economy grew faster than expected in the first three months of the year and likely expanded again in April, fuelling speculation that the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates again.
A former staffer who accused Joe Biden of sexual assault has defected to Moscow and spoken to Russian state media in a news conference that lasted several hours.
Wildfires in Nova Scotia have burned thousands of hectares across the province, forcing many to flee their homes. Halifax-area residents tell CTV News what it was like for them when they had to evacuate.
As text-generative artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT change the tide of web surfing, one Toronto blogger warns of a “seismic shift” in search engine optimization.
The Edmonton Oilers made their first trade of the offseason Wednesday, picking up 20-year-old prospect centreman Jayden Grubbe from the New York Rangers.
Frontline health-care workers at Surrey Memorial Hospital say the emergency room should be shut down to new patients if staff shortages continue to create "perilous" conditions for people in need of urgent care.
Wildfires in Nova Scotia have burned thousands of hectares across the province, forcing many to flee their homes. Halifax-area residents tell CTV News what it was like for them when they had to evacuate.
A "critical" shortage of teachers in B.C. is leading to increased workloads, mounting stress and an inability to meet students' needs, according to a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by the union.
The northern Vancouver Island village of Sayward remains on edge Wednesday as a wildfire continues to burn out of control just five kilometres west of the community.
The B.C. government is warning drivers of changes – some permanent – to the Patricia Bay Highway (Highway 17) in Saanichton as work begins on the new Keating Cross Road overpass.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Brad Treliving to be the team's new general manager. The team made the announcement Wednesday, less than two weeks after firing Kyle Dubas.
Last year, Quebec’s Bill 96 became law, which brought sweeping changes to the Charter of the French language. Sections of the new law will come into effect on June 1, the one-year anniversary of the bill receiving royal assent.
High heat is pushing into parts of Quebec this week, and many communities could see record-breaking temperatures this week. Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued special weather statements, advising people of the above-average temperatures.
A new team working out of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada (SHC-Canada) wants to get young people like Horn, who injured themselves, back on their feet and running as fast and efficiently as possible.
Canadian Heritage unveiled the programming for July 1 celebrations, inviting Canadians to come to the capital region to "join the biggest party in the country!"
People who live on Ralgreen Crescent in Kitchener say it could have been a lot worse after a car careened off the road and smashed through their backyards on Tuesday afternoon.
A Toronto woman says she was shamed for the size of her order at a sushi restaurant north of the city in a scathing review posted to social media that’s been viewed more than 1.4 million times.
Forest fires in northern Ontario are on the rise, with the largest in the region shutting down a critical highway for the people of Hornepayne for a bit and bringing the community to the brink of evacuation.
Manitoba RCMP have arrested a priest from a First Nation community who is accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl, and believe there may be more victims.
An aboveground section of Enbridge's Line 5 at the Mackinaw City, Mich., pump station is photographed in October 2016. The company said the environment review of its proposed Great Lakes tunnel project has been pushed back to spring 2025. (File)
