MACKINAW CITY, MI-- Authorities are trying to determine whether an anchor strike may be responsible for synthetic fluid leaking into the Straits of Mackinac.
An electric transmission line could have sustained damage from a ship’s anchor, causing the leak. A report also says the controversial Enbridge Line 5 pipeline under the Straits shows signs it may have been hit several times by an anchor.
The news prompted Governor Rick Snyder to urge Enbridge to accelerate replacement of older pipelines, including the 65-year-old Line 5.
Mike Shriberg is the Great Lakes Regional Director for the National Wildlife Federation. He says Governor Snyder should force the shutdown of Line 5.
“What we know is that there are three dents made by an anchor in Line 5. Until there’s an independent analysis that says Line 5 is safe for continuing to carry oil and natural gas liquids, I believe that Line 5 should be temporarily, at least, shut down,” he says.
Shriberg says Line 5 carries 23 million gallons of oil across the Straits of Mackinac each day. He says there are another six electrical transmission lines and a natural gas pipeline under the straits.
Enbridge Energy says Line 5 remains safe despite the newly discovered dents.
