Supplemental Draft EIS Comments

My understanding of the Supplemental EIS is that there would be some horizontal drilling of the pipeline in order to continue its use. Admittedly, I do not understand the mechanics of this new plan, but I know it could be extremely harmful to Lake Michigan, the Mackinaw Straits and further into the Great Lakes. There is NOTHING that should be done that could even potentially damage or compromise our lakes. They have withstood too much abuse over the years, but, now, with the knowledge we have and the scientific evidence of all the spills and toxins that have gone into the lakes, there should only be concern for their protection. Shut this pipeline down. There is no justification for any other plan. The pipeline does not benefit the U.S. and does not give us better access to natural gas. The potential threat is too great and why would we actually take the risk of damaging one of our country's greatest natural resources. There is no excuse. Shut it down!
Sincerely, Mary F. Nolan

The conversation to continue allowing Enbridge to be trusted operating near the largest supply of fresh water on the planet is concerning. With spills from lines 6 and 6b, and over 1 million gallons spilling from line 5 already, the conversation should not be how to permit and update the existing infrastructure, but how to remove it from the Great Lakes.

We are gambling with the future of our fresh water and the ecosystems that support our region. A permit signed based on research and promises from a company that has proven to be dangerous and incompetent does not serve the people, it destroys the future for generations to come.

I am writing to voice concern and opposition for Enbridge's proposed line 5 tunnel replacement project. The proposed project that Enbridge submitted is not sufficient for properly designing and preparing an underwater tunnel. This project poses great risk to workers, the Great Lakes, fisheries and wildlife, and the regional economy. Enbridge does not have a proper understanding of the rock and soil conditions of the Straits of Mackinac which could lead to a catastrophic accident during construction. It is standard to take boring samples every 50-200 feet, but Enbridge took samples every 950 feet. This means that they could encounter poor geologic conditions such as high groundwater pressure, fault zones, and bedrock. The boring machine could break down in this event, potentially adding months or years to project or having to abandon the tunnel entirely. If bedrock is encountered, sinkholes can occur leading to bentonite slurry blowing out into the lake bottom. Enbridge also plans to discharge 5 million gallons of wastewater into Lake Michigan each day that the project is ongoing. This discharge would contain bentonite clay and when mixed with water, will stick to everything. This would create an impermeable barrier on top of Lake Michigan for years to come, would pollute drinking water, and harm fisheries and wildlife. Enbridge also did not account for the methane found in the groundwater in his project proposal which is a dangerous and irresponsible oversight. If methane infiltrates the tunnel and dissolves into the air there is great risk of a catastrophic explosion happening. This poses a direct threat to workers as well as the surrounding region. The risks described here are crucial components that Enbridge has not planned for, making the proposal completely irresponsible and inadequate for what it is trying to accomplish. In the event of catastrophic damages, it is Michigan taxpayers that are responsible for covering cleanup and repairs. This would greatly harm the regional economy because damage repairs in an event like this will cost millions of dollars. The Mackinac Straits is one of the worst possible places for an oil spill to occur due to the heavy currents and connection to various waterways. An oil spill in this area would spread rapidly and be difficult to contain. The consequences of this would be widespread, harming fisheries, wildlife, and the drinking supply. For all of these reasons, I urge you to deny Enbridge's proposal for the Line 5 tunnel replacement. As an alternative, I'd like to suggest the No Action Alternative: to have the existing dual pipelines continuing to deliver 540,000 barrels per day of NGL's including propane and crude light oil. Please consider the massive implications that this will have on the State of Michigan, the people of Michigan, our waters and wildlife.

The proposal to HDD under the Mackinaw Straits is remarkably ill-advised. The tunnel was a bad idea, this is worse. Enbridge couldn't HDD under 20 foot wide Willow River without a frack-out in their Line 3 re-route. They think that they can HDD for 4 miles; money has corrupted their reasoning. What does a frack out in the Straits look like? Waadookawaad Amikwag has all the data you need to understand Enbridge's track record on Line 3. Tunnel or HDD, neither is a wise solution when the waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are at risk. Enbridge gets all the benefit while the Great Lakes and Michigan bear all the risk. Reject the supplemental EIS.

I'm commenting to oppose the entire Enbridge project in the straits of Mackinac. Line 5 is a pipeline that is in disrepair and that's no longer needed for the long-term health of Michiganders. Enbridge has not proved to be a trustworthy partner because they're trying to overstay their lease, additionally they have not proved to be a trustworthy partner Because of the numerous oil spills they've been responsible for including the largest oil spill in US history. The Kalamazoo oil spill. Additionally, Enbridge cannot safely perform the HDD drilling in their line 3 project. There's been multiple Frack outs and under the straits of Mackinac is a magnitude larger.

Again, I'm urging this body to reject all of the Enbridge line 5 project, including the tunnel and this additional project .

The proposed project for Line 5 under the Straits of Mackinac should be rejected.
This project is extremely risky; dangerous to workers and a risk to all those who rely on the fresh water of the Great Lakes for drinking, fishing, tourism, industry. Michiganders are proud of our Great Lakes, and we need to protect them.
Additionally, this project has no net benefit to Michiganders or indeed Americans. All the oil that goes through the pipeline goes to Canada- it’s not for American use. The only oil that stays on US soil is that which leaks and pollutes (and Enbridge has a history of significant leaks in Michigan). We take on all the risk of this project, which could have negative effects lasting generations, and no benefits of worth.
Rather than a project to attempt to extend the life of this pipeline, Line 5 should be shut down. Environmental experts should be consulted on how best to deal with the infrastructure left over so no contamination happens as aging and decomposition take hold.
If this Canadian company really wants to keep pumping oil from one part of Canada to another, they discuss building a pipeline through Canadian lands with their Canadian governmental organizations. Americans don’t need to be part of this risky operation, and shouldn’t be responsible for cleanup of a foreign company’s mess.
Thank you for your time.

I'm certain you have a lot of well thought out objections to this alternative proposal by Enbridge...and I am in support of them: this is a proposal that is all about corporate profits, and with total disregard to the community and the environment.....by people who do not even live here. It is morally and ethically wrong. I know that is not a scientific statement, but it is a human one, and those of us opposing this are also speaking to the habitat and the animals that have no voices, but should be taken into serious consideration. When is enough risk too much?? THIS is where the line should be drawn on this issue: to protect the largest fresh body of water in the world?? Where will you be, and what will you do, or what will the officials at Enron do if there is a leak? There is no fixing it after the damage has been done. I beg of you, deny Enron's application.

What does Michigan have to offer, but the Great Lakes? Should this line fail, and eventually it will, as all industrial infrastructure does, what will come of our lakes? There are thousands of safer/cleaner ways to bring economic development to this state. There are alternative safer/cleaner options for increased energy production. We need to be wiser. We are choosing the wrong choice. While Chicago celebrates cleaning their river, Michigan is about to pollute ours, it’s heartbreaking. Line 5 is a wrong move in the wrong direction. We need to do better. Let’s be innovative! Let’s be ahead of the curve! Let’s be a model for other states to protect their resources from high risk pollution and the oil industry. Let’s do something that Michiganders are proud of, not scared of. We’re proud of our lakes, we will be proud to protect them. Please. Please do better so we never have to feel the grief of an oil leak in our Lakes.

Please reject permits for the Line 5 pipeline. The Great Lakes regional wetlands and lakes are nothing short of THE freshwater nursery of our continent -- absolutely essential for drinking water for so many citizens, rearing so much wildlife in freshwater, and the homes of the sacred and protected wild rice for the tribes of the areas. Enbridge is not even a US company, and their track record proves they cannot be trusted to protect our fresh water. It is your duty to protect the interests of citizens, and the paramount interest for any living being is fresh and untainted water, essential for all life on Earth. Do not allow this drilling and tunneling to continue -- it is not worth it for anyone but Enbridge.

We should not risk the integrity of our Great Lakes and the Bad River watershed with the Line 5 reroute. Please deny this permit.