Task Force: Straits of Mackinac Pipeline Wouldn't Be Allowed Today

A University of Michigan researcher has warned there’s no other place in the Great Lakes where an oil spill would cause as much environmental harm in as short amount of time as in the Straits of Mackinac. (Photo via Flickr)

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Leaders of a task force studying the integrity of pipelines statewide, but especially the aging No. 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, Tuesday called on Canada-based Enbridge Energy to stop moving heavy crude oil and tar sands through lines that environmentalists warn are a “disaster just waiting to happen.”

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who along with state Department of Environmental Quality Director Dan Wyant released the task force’s new report, said there is no immediate imperative to shut down the pipeline, but he acknowledged its days are numbered.

“Certainly, the Straits Pipelines would not be built today, so how many more tomorrows Line 5 should operate is limited in duration,” Schuette said in a statement.

The task force recommendations, which Schuette called “tough but fair,” are intended to address “the most acute potential threat” posed by Enbridge’s 60-year-old lines.

The task force called for an independent analysis of the risk posed by the pipelines, financial assurances and alternative routes that don’t include the Straits. Additionally, the task force said Enbridge should disclose its pipeline safety reports and create an advisory board on pipeline safety.

A pipeline break in the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lakes Michigan and Huron, could have far reaching environmental consequences for the larger Great Lakes system, according to a 2014 University of Michigan study. The study’s author, U-M Water Center research scientist David Schwab, said there isn’t another area on the Great Lakes where an oil spill would have as wide an area of impact in a short an amount of time.

Related:

• Enbridge on Notice to Reinforce Pipelines to Avoid Great Lakes Catastrophe
• Coast Guard’s Alarming Warning on Great Lakes Oil Spill
• ‘Pinhole-Sized’ Pipeline Lake Heightens Great Lakes Fears
• Activists: Plug Straits of Mackinac Pipeline Before Catastrophe

Wyant said the recommendations hold pipeline operators more accountable, but strike a balance between environmental protection and the need to meet energy demands.

“The Great Lakes are Michigan’s most precious resource and our top stewardship charge,” Wyant said, also in a statement. “While we recognize the importance of transporting energy to power Michigan communities, it cannot be at the expense of our environment.”

The statewide recommendations will require the action of the governor, relevant state agencies and the Michigan Legislature.

The task force also developed recommendations for petroleum and gas pipelines across Michigan. They are:

• Coordinate mapping of existing pipelines among state agencies.
• Ensure that state agencies collaborate on emergency planning and spill response.
• Ensure coordinated emergency response training exercises and drills
• Ensure regular state consultation with the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on hazardous liquid (including petroleum) pipelines.
• Consider legislation requiring state review and approval of oil spill response plans, improved spill reporting, and more robust civil fines.
• Evaluate whether to establish a Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Safety Program in Michigan.
• Consider legislation or rulemaking to improve siting process for new petroleum pipelines.
• Create a permanent Petroleum Pipeline Information website.

The Michigan Petroleum Pipeline Task Force was created by Wyant and Schuette in 2014 in response to safety concerns about various pipelines across Michigan. Other agencies represented are Michigan Public Service Commission, Department of Natural Resources, DEQ’s Office of the Great Lakes, Michigan Department of Transportation and Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division.