The White House says the United States and Canada will discuss the future of Enbridge’s Line Five pipeline that operates under the Straits of Mackinac.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has called for Enbridge to shut down Line Five over fears of a potential catastrophic rupture.
Enbridge has refused, saying the line is safe, and they are continuing a plan to build a utility tunnel for the pipeline.
This comes after Canada invoked a 1977 treaty that guarantees unimpeded transit of oil between the two nations last month.
The Biden Administration has not yet taken a position on the pipeline, but in a press briefing Monday, the White House says they will have constructive discussions with Canada about the pipeline.
“Where we are with this is that Canada has decided to invoke the dispute resolution provisions of the 1977 transit pipelines treaty, we expect that both the U.S. and Canada will engage constructively in those negotiations in addition to being one of the closest allies,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Deputy Press Secretary. “Canada remains a key U.S. partner in energy trade as well as efforts to address climate change and protect the environment.”
On Tuesday, Enbridge released a statement on the upcoming discussions between the two nations.
“The U.S. Army Corps is conducting an environmental impact study as part of the permitting process for the Great Lakes Tunnel Project in the Straits of Mackinac. This step was announced in June and the process is ongoing. Also the U.S. Government is preparing for diplomatic discussion with Canada over the Transit Pipeline Treaty and in doing so we believe the Administration is collecting more information regarding Line 5,” said Ryan Duffy, a spokesman for Enbridge.
Duffy continued, “It is normal at this stage for all parties to be reaching out to various parties to better understand the issues at play; but at the end of the day, this is about doing the right thing. There are millions of people and thousands of businesses on both sides of the border who are dependent on Line 5 to provide the fuel they need for heating, manufacturing, airplanes, roads and automobiles. Line 5 is vital energy infrastructure on a daily basis to Michigan, other states in the region, and Canada’s two largest provinces.”
“As for safety, the pipeline continues to operate safely. And we spend millions each year to assure that safety,” stated Duffy. “Additionally, three years ago both houses of the Michigan legislature voted overwhelming to establish the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority to oversee our construction of a Great Lakes Tunnel in which Line 5 would be contained well below the waters at the Straits. This makes a safe pipeline safer and virtually eliminates the chance of an anchor strike or spill.”
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