US Army Corps of Engineers approves federal permit for Line 5 tunnel in Straits of Mackinac
The permit caps a yearslong federal review and clears the only federal approval needed for the first-of-its-kind tunnel project, officials said.
- On Wednesday, Aug. 12, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to Enbridge Energy for constructing a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac to house a new segment of the Line 5 oil pipeline, marking the final federal hurdle for the project.
- President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency on Jan. 20, 2025, accelerating the project's federal review; Enbridge officials described the approval as culminating a six-year rigorous evaluation process.
- The $800 million project replaces 73-year-old twin pipelines with a 4-mile tunnel housing the Line 5 segment; proponents argue the tunnel will enhance safety by protecting the pipeline beneath the lake bed.
- Despite the federal permit, the Michigan Supreme Court recently vacated key state-level approvals, and Bay Mills Indian Community President Whitney Gravelle called the decision a 'profound breach' of treaty trust responsibilities.
- The Michigan Supreme Court ordered the Michigan Public Service Commission to conduct additional analysis on the project, a process expected to add years to the permitting timeline while environmental advocates pursue legal action to stop the pipeline's operation.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Associated Press News
Feds issue Line 5 tunnel permit, call it ‘not contrary to the public interest’
The US Army Corps of Engineers has permitted construction of the controversial Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approves permit for Line 5 pipeline project in Michigan
Following a recent setback, plans to build a tunnel for Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan have received approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The "Line 5" pipeline in Michigan supplies the region with important gas. However, there are concerns about a possible break. A new pipeline is to solve the problem.
Line 5 tunnel project granted crucial federal permit
What seemed a simple short story or nursery rhyme has turned into a years-long epic struggle to build a 5-mile tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge’s proposed sequel to its 73-year-old Line 5 saga, however, cleared another legal hurdle on Wednesday after receiving a critical permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The USACE Detroit District issued an individual and crucial permit for the tunnel, explicitly stating the Great Lak…
US issues final approval for tunnel connecting two Great Lakes
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday issued a permit for a tunnel that connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, bringing the project one step closer to construction. The permit allows Canadian energy company Enbridge to build a tunnel underneath the lake bed in the Straits of Mackinac, where the two Great Lakes meet. The tunnel is designed to house a 4-mile segment of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, which splits into two pipes across the bott…
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