Give the public more time to respond!
I am writing to express my unequivocal opposition to the reckless fast-tracking of Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel project. Placing this dangerous project on a federal list of expedited infrastructure is an irresponsible act of political theater by the Trump administration — an administration that has fabricated an “energy emergency” to steamroll public safety, environmental safeguards, and our shared future.
This project has not undergone a comprehensive risk assessment, which should be the bare minimum standard for any development that threatens the Great Lakes — one of the world’s largest sources of fresh water — our regional economy, and our climate stability.
Tunnel engineering experts have repeatedly warned that constructing a tunnel under the lakebed is not only technically challenging but also poses severe risks to worker safety and long-term operational integrity. The risks of catastrophic spills, blowouts, or tunnel failures are real — yet they are being brushed aside in the name of short-term political gain.
This supposed “energy emergency” is nothing but a transparent excuse to lock communities into decades more of fossil fuel dependency at the precise moment we should be investing in clean, resilient energy systems. Fast-tracking this tunnel means ignoring the grave reality of climate change and worsening the public health crisis caused by continued greenhouse gas emissions.
The stakes could not be higher: an oil spill in the Great Lakes would devastate the drinking water supply for millions, wipe out wildlife, and cripple Michigan’s economy — an economy where over 1.3 million jobs and $82 billion in wages depend on healthy, unpolluted waters.
Equally shameful is the failure to meaningfully consult Tribal nations and Indigenous communities whose rights, treaties, and voices must be honored under U.S. and international law. This disregard for Indigenous sovereignty is unacceptable and must be rectified immediately.
The USACE must reject the political pressure to rubber-stamp this dangerous project. Conduct a full, transparent, science-based assessment of the tunnel’s risks, its climate and health impacts, and its threat to our waters, our workers, and our communities. Anything less is a betrayal of your responsibility to protect the public and future generations.
Do not allow a fabricated crisis to dictate our energy policy and endanger our Great Lakes. The people deserve better — and so does our planet.
Respectfully,
Alex Valkema
Michigan, USA.
I am a resident of the Upper Penninsla of Michigan. Please allow us more time to consider the EIS for the Line 5 tunnel. This is an extremely high risk project; our fish, our economy, and our drinking water is at stake. We need more timentonunderstand the extent to which these extreme risks will be mitigated.
