MICHIGAN -
The following statement can be attributed to Sean McBrearty, Oil & Water Don’t Mix Coordinator and Clean Water Action Michigan State Director.
"Today's news that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Enbridge's venue appeal underscores a critical fact: the decision on the proposed Line 5 tunnel remains squarely in the hands of state authorities, who are currently reviewing crucial permits that will determine the project's future.
"While Enbridge takes its challenge of Attorney General Dana Nessel's federal shutdown lawsuit to the Supreme Court, the Canadian corporation continues to profit financially from every delay in the legal process. Each day of legal maneuvering means millions more in revenue for Enbridge while Michigan communities bear the environmental and financial risks.
"The Supreme Court's decision to hear this venue dispute has no bearing on Michigan's ongoing review of the tunnel project itself. State agencies retain full authority to reject permits for this fundamentally flawed proposal. Rather than enabling further delays that benefit a foreign corporation's bottom line, Michigan should focus on the responsible path of rejecting permits for the proposed oil tunnel in the Great Lakes and decommissioning this dangerous pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac."