The Line 5 Pipeline
Enbridge Pipeline 5, or Line 5, slices across Wisconsin along the Lake Superior shoreline and through the Bad River Reservation. Now, it’s old and falling apart – a ticking time bomb that could spill crude oil into our waters while continuing to make us dependent on fossil fuels. The time has come to shut this antiquated pipeline down.
What is Line 5?
Enbridge’s Line 5 is an outdated pipeline that transports 22 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids across 645 miles of our countryside every day – from Superior, Wisconsin, across Tribal Lands, through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, under the Straits of Mackinac, and to refineries in Ontario, Canada.
The pipeline was originally permitted in 1953 without the consent of the Tribes and before the establishment of most of our bedrock environmental protections. The more than six decades old pipeline – long past its intended operational lifespan – poses a catastrophic risk to our water, natural areas, freshwater resources, and farmland. The risk to Tribal Lands and Lake Superior is especially severe. And, the pipeline directly threatens the State of Wisconsin’s multibillion dollar outdoor recreation industry – an economic engine for nearby communities and the entire state.
As the pipeline continues to corrode and crack, experts argue that Line 5 is a ticking time bomb for Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region. Especially, a portion that traverses the Bad River Reservation in Wisconsin and a five-mile stretch that runs under the Straits of Mackinac.
It’s far past time to shut Line 5 down for the safety and health of Wisconsin, Indigenous communities, and the Great Lakes region.
Learn more about the Bad River Reservation and Enbridge's proposed reroute
Visit the Sierra Club's Line 5 webpage and read more about the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa's struggle against Line 5 and Enbridge.
Learn moreWhat can I do?
Currently, Enbridge, the pipeline's operator, is seeking permission from the Army Corps of Engineers to reroute a portion of the pipeline around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation. Approving this reroute would extend the lifespan of this already old and dangerous pipeline and extend the ongoing threat it poses to the Great Lakes.
Tell the Army Corps of Engineers it cannot take any shortcuts and must do the most thorough environmental review possible of the proposed reroute to protect our waterways, communities, and wildlife along the pipeline.
We'll be working to find opportunities for action as the various ongoing processes continue regarding Line 5 and Enbridge. Be sure to sign up for updates here to receive information.
