DETROIT, MI (MPRN)— Public comment is now open on a federal environmental review of the Line 5 tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released on Friday its draft report that describes the environmental effects of building a tunnel under the lakebed. The report says the tunnel would reduce the risk of an oil spill, and the Army Corps supports the continued operation of Line 5, citing the need for crude oil in the "foreseeable future."
Sean McBrearty is with Oil and Water Don't Mix, a group that supports shutting down Line 5. At a recent rally against the tunnel, he called on the state of Michigan to reject the project.
"We're not going to ask people who have been fighting this pipeline for a decade to waste their time providing comments into a sham federal process, where the public's interests and comments will not be heard anyway."
Enbridge says the Army Corps has been working on this "rigorous and comprehensive" review for more than five years.
The Detroit District is conducting a 30-day public comment period on the DEIS from May 30 to June 30, 2025. The public and concerned parties are welcome to provide comments using the following methods:
- The Line 5 Tunnel EIS website at https://www.line5tunneleis.com/comment-here-new/.
- Virtual public meetings:
- Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 1-4 p.m., link
- Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 5-8 p.m., link
- Written comments (post marked by June 30, 2025) mailed to:
- Line 5 Tunnel EIS
- 6501 Shady Grove Road, P.O. Box 10178
- Gaithersburg, MD 20898
