Supreme Court rules for Michigan in its fight to shut down an aging energy pipeline
Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Michigan’s lawsuit to shut down a section of an old pipeline under the Great Lakes will stay in state court. The court said the Enbridge company waited too long to move the case to federal court.Key Facts
- The pipeline, called Line 5, has carried crude oil and natural gas liquids since 1953 between Wisconsin and Ontario.
- Michigan sued Enbridge in 2019 to cancel the permission to operate a 4.5-mile section under the Straits of Mackinac, linking Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
- A judge blocked the pipeline from operating in 2020, but allowed it to continue after safety steps were met.
- Enbridge tried to move the case to federal court in 2021, claiming it involved U.S. and Canadian trade.
- The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals returned the case to Michigan state court in 2024 due to missed filing deadlines by Enbridge.
- There are growing concerns about the pipeline’s safety after damage to its protective coating and a boat anchor incident.
- Michigan revoked the easement allowing the pipeline in 2020, and Enbridge is challenging this in another federal case.
- The company plans to enclose the pipeline section in a tunnel but still needs permits from federal and state agencies.
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