Posted Draft EIS Comments

Thank you so very much for your hard work!

After researching the many complicated issues and harm potential regarding Line 5, I hope the impact statement will lead to the best possible solution to address environmental and safety issues.
I’m concerned about the age, location, and questionable condition of the pipeline.
I’m especially concerned about the trustworthiness of Enbridge, Inc.
They have a tarnished safety record. Its spills include the second-largest inland oil spill when Line 6B spilled 1.1 million gallons of tar sands bitumen into the Kalamazoo River in 2010.
Also, the contract between the pipeline company and the State of Michigan (the Easement) has compliance issues. Gov. Whitmer revoked the easement in 2021 because of eight known violations that make the pipeline dangerous.

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project beneath the Straits of Mackinac. This project, if approved, poses unacceptable risks to the Great Lakes, the surrounding environment, and the communities that depend on these vital natural resources.

My primary concerns are as follows:

Environmental Catastrophe Risk: The Straits of Mackinac represent a critical and ecologically sensitive area. A rupture or leak from an oil pipeline in this location, even within a tunnel, would have catastrophic and potentially irreversible consequences for the Great Lakes ecosystem. The unique currents in the Straits could rapidly disperse oil throughout Lakes Michigan and Huron, devastating wildlife, fisheries, and pristine coastlines. The economic and environmental recovery from such an event would be immense and prolonged, if even possible.

Long-Term Reliability and Safety Concerns: While proponents argue the tunnel would enhance safety, no infrastructure project is entirely without risk. The long-term geological stability of constructing and operating a pipeline within a tunnel under such a dynamic waterway is a significant concern. The potential for unforeseen geological shifts, construction defects, or operational failures, however remote, cannot be dismissed given the high stakes involved.

Climate Change and Fossil Fuel Dependency: Approving new fossil fuel infrastructure like the Line 5 tunnel runs counter to the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels and address climate change. Investing in decades-long fossil fuel projects locks us into outdated energy systems and exacerbates the climate crisis, undermining efforts to develop sustainable alternatives.

Lack of Necessity and Alternative Solutions: There are viable alternatives to transporting oil through this sensitive region. The continued reliance on Line 5, particularly through such a vulnerable area, disregards opportunities for investment in renewable energy and more secure, less environmentally risky transportation methods.

For these reasons, and to protect the irreplaceable Great Lakes for current and future generations, I urge you to reject the proposed Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project.

Sincerely,

Matthew Taylor

Please don't fast-track the Line 5 infrastructure project. The Line 5 tunnel project has not undergone a comprehensive risk assessment. An oil spill in the Great Lakes would be catastrophic for drinking water, wildlife, and Michigan’s economy. More than 1.3 million jobs, equating to $82 billion in wages, are directly tied to the Great Lakes. Tribal nations and Indigenous communities have not been meaningfully consulted. Their rights, treaties, and voices must be honored.

It's REALLY DISCOURAGING, at best, to STILL have to register GRAVE CONCERNS over the impact of this FOLLY that will not even 'benefit' Michigan
Residents and yet, we have to bear ALL of the economic AND ENVIRONMENTAL threats, as Enbridge has made it very clear, after the LARGEST inland 'spill' in the Kalamazoo River in 2010, THEY WILL NOT FINISH the clean up.

Climate Changed has already heightened the vast increase in storms over the Great Lakes and northern Michigan may take even longer to recover, under this current Federal Administration, who can only continue with the mindset of 'Drill, baby, Drill' and officials do not care! I've been protesting this situation for more than a decade, with no end in sight.

SHAME on ALL of you for NOT SHUTTING this SHAM DOWN!

We need to start taking better care of our home, Earth. Please stop building pipelines and tunnels through our waterways. Our ecosystems are fragile and constantly under attack from the human race. This pipeline is the perfect place to start saying no to destruction. No matter how many studies or environmental impact statements are done, no one can say that this pipeline and tunnel will be safe.

I am a retired environmental analyst and consultant in SW MI. My experiences include mitigation of sites contaminated with gasoline, oil and other chemicals, surface and groundwater water issues and wetlands delineations. The Enbridge oil spill took place in “my back yard”.
The proposed line 5 pipeline is a disaster waiting to happen. Enbridge has other, existing pipelines these tar sands products can be conveyed through without risk to the pristine Great Lakes. There is no guarantee that leaks or a rupture will not happen.
The only way to describe any such event, should it occur, is catastrophic.
The Straits of Mackinaw are known for deep water and very strong currents. That places not only contamination to these waters but also shorelines of multiple islands and shorelines of surrounding lands of US states and Canadian territories.
Mitigation and clean up would be most difficult, long-term and very expensive. Will the public be forced (once again) to cover all or most of these costs and provide relief to Enbridge? What benefits would we receive for such help?
Negative economic impacts include tourism, fishing, water craft activities , camping, drinking water, make up water for any user and numerous other uses.
The density of Native American tribes in this region must be recognized and addressed. Tribal lands and waters will be impacted during and after construction. As independent nations each Tribe must agree to these proposed actions.
I ask that these comments be accepted in the record. This project has too many unknowns, potential negative results and no significant be efit ti the public that can not be met through other means.

The Line 5 tunnel project has not undergone a comprehensive risk assessment, which is crucial for a project that poses risks to the Great Lakes, our climate, and our
future. Many tunnel experts who have reviewed Enbridge's plans share concerns for the logistics of placing a tunnel under the lakebed, considering it to be complicated, dangerous, and technically challenging. Experts also share concerns for the workers who are subjected to the dangerous pipeline construction and
operations. The supposed "energy emergency" used to justify fast-tracking this project is false and politically motivated, and should not override public safety and environmental
protections. An oil spill in the Great Lakes would be catastrophic for drinking water, wildlife, and Michigan’s economy. More than 1.3 million jobs, equating to $82 billion in wages, are directly tied to the Great
Lakes. Approving this tunnel locks us into decades of fossil fuel dependency, exacerbating the climate and public health crises; it must be thoroughly assessed for its greenhouse gas emissions and health impacts before
proceeding. Tribal nations and Indigenous communities have not been meaningfully consulted. Their rights, treaties, and voices must behonored.

Line 5 needs to be shut down. Not preserved. I encourage all entitities with regularity authority over Line 5 to engage in very detailed evaluation in terms of need and safety and threat to the environment.

The Straits of Mackinac is an iconic location in the Midwest, beloved by millions, both locals and tourists alike. The development of pipeline infrastructure— even subsurface infrastructure such as the proposed tunnel— in this region is an immediate threat to the aesthetic value upon which regional tourism depends. The proposed tunnel project will imperil the livelihoods of everyone in the region whose income relies on the presence of tourists who come to northern Michigan for its fresh air, pristine waters, and unsullied natural beauty.

Furthermore, it is folly to assume that the Line 5 pipeline will not leak. Every company that has ever built a pipeline of this nature has insisted that the highest standards of safety will be followed and that there is no chance of any leak, just as Enbridge promises in their documents on the project... but every single time, inevitably, every pipeline leaks. According to a 2014 analysis by Dr. Richard Stover, more than 3 million gallons of oil have been spilled from pipeline failures in the U.S. since the late 1980s, and mitigation rarely does enough to actually clean up these spills, leaving the equivalent of over 31,000 barrels of oil unaddressed and toxifying our natural environment.

The Great Lakes region cannot afford the economic or the environmental impact of this proposed pipeline tunnel. I urge you to deny any further permitting that would allow Enbridge to proceed with this project.