Shut Down Line 5

Most recent update:

Call on Governor Evers: Revoke Line 5 Permits

The past few weeks have been filled with a flurry of activity – good and bad. In late August at an Enbridge work site an unoccupied semi truck rolled into an exposed section of Line 5 and ruptured it, releasing over one million gallons of natural gas liquids. Billowing white gas covered the site and led to nearby evacuations. Since then the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has sent two letters to Enbridge highlighting their concerns with issues of noncompliance and numerous drilling failures, not to mention Enbridge building an unpermitted new section of pipeline to get Line 5 running again.

Condition 11 of the Line 5 Reroute permit allows the DNR to modify or revoke the permit for good cause, including failure to comply with permit requirements. The Department has already acknowledged "other noncompliance events" that have been "immensely frustrating." When a permittee repeatedly fails to comply with permit conditions, the Department has both the authority and responsibility to consider whether continued authorization remains appropriate. Join us in calling on Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin DNR to revoke Line 5 permits.

Join us for a call-in day to Governor Evers!

Throughout the summer, Enbridge has violated their permits multiple times, caused the largest pipeline rupture in Wisconsin’s history, and constructed an illegal “bypass” due to their eagerness to keep the oil flowing through Line 5. Their pattern of bad behavior requires action. Yesterday, the Bad River Band declared an emergency and urged state leaders to step in.

Call Governor Evers and the DNR and demand they revoke the Line 5 permits.

Message: 

My name is _____ and I am calling about the Line 5 pipeline in Northern Wisconsin. Please revoke and terminate all permits for Enbridge’s Line 5 relocation project near Bad River. The Wisconsin DNR can end permits when activities could “endanger human health or the environment.” The recent catastrophic spill in Iron County, in combination with Enbridge's inability to comply with permit conditions and disregard for DNR requests regarding unapproved “bypass” construction, show that Enbridge cannot be trusted to protect us or meet their obligations. Please be a champion of the people, like leadership in MI, and use your authority to revoke Line 5 Reroute permits immediately. Thank you.

Once you call, fill out the report form to see the number of calls grow.

Take Action: Write a Letter to the Editor

As the work to Shut Down Line 5 and prevent the proposed reroute continues making our opposition is more important than ever! You can use our easy tool to write a short Letter to the Editor (just ~200 words!) about why you oppose this project. 

Write a Letter

Why it Matters

In 2013, Enbridge’s 50-year lease for the Line 5 oil pipeline through the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa expired. Despite Bad River's request that Enbridge remove the pipeline, Enbridge has refused. In July 2019, the Bad River Band sued Enbridge to force them to remove the pipeline. The risk of an oil spill is too high, given the importance of the water in the area for the Band and Tribal members to fish, gather wild rice, etc.

The pipeline is over seventy years old, and Bad River has found parts of the pipeline that are uncovered, presenting increased risk. Most pipelines are buried, but because of erosion, 50 feet of the pipeline is exposed, and some parts are unsupported because the ground beneath it has eroded away. This is extremely dangerous and could lead to a spill.

Bad River has called on Enbridge to shut down the pipeline and to not replace it in the watershed. All of the rivers in the area flow north towards Lake Superior, through the reservation, so moving the pipeline to a different part of the watershed will not reduce the risk to the waters.

Nonetheless, Enbridge is forging ahead with forcing this "reroute" in an area where people do not want it.

This pipeline poses huge risks to our waterways. Enbridge's proposed route is upstream of Copper Falls State Park. This is all on top of the concerns about the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

We need Enbridge to decommission Line 5 to protect Tribal land, the Great Lakes, and the climate.

Learn More: sierraclub.org/wisconsin/line-5