Wisconsin Businesses Applaud Line 5 Decision, Environmental Groups Howl

Wisconsin Allows New Oil & Gas Pipeline

There’s already pushback to Wisconsin’s decision to allow a new section of the Line 5 pipeline across the far northern part of the state.

The Department of Natural Resources on Thursday approved the permits for the Enbridge Line 5 project.

Environmental groups immediately slammed the decision.

“Enbridge’s proposed plan represents a clear threat to the health and safety of Wisconsin communities and the natural resources on which they rely. DNR’s decision to issue permits for the project ignores the serious concerns of thousands of people who have urged the DNR to reject Enbridge’s permit application," Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Rob Lee said.

Wisconsin Sierra Club director Elizabeth Ward said the pipeline should be closed, not expanded.

“The bottom line is that rerouting Line 5 prolongs the operation of this pipeline-ticking time-bomb. An oil spill in the Bad River watershed would be catastrophic. You can’t drink oil. You can’t swim in oil or fish in oil. We are committed to stopping Line 5, and we are disappointed that the DNR would allow a false solution from a company with a terrible track record rather than support the Bad River Band and protect the 40 million people who rely on the Great Lakes for safe drinking water," she added.

The Bad River Band, whose land the pipeline currently runs through, says the decision violates their treaty rights.

“I’m angry that the DNR has signed off on a half-baked plan that spells disaster for our homeland and our way of life,” Bad River Band Chairman Robert Blanchard said. “We will continue sounding the alarm to prevent yet another Enbridge pipeline from endangering our watershed.”

But business groups in Wisconsin are cheering the DNR's decision.

“We are thankful for the Wisconsin DNR’s diligence and hopeful our state can now avoid the supply and price shock closing down Line 5 would have on the 280,000 families, farms and businesses that depend on propane for heat and fuel," Wisconsin Propane Gas Association executive director Cheryl Lytle explained.

The pipeline carries both natural gas and crude oil. The Wisconsin Jobs and Energy Coalition warned that without the pipeline, prices for both would skyrocket.

Wisconsin has been reviewing the Line 5 permits since 2020. The federal government now has to sign-off on the project.

But no one is guessing how long that may take.