Close Line 5 NOW

A fabulous LTE. 

As an Iosco County resident with a home on Lake Huron, I am writing to express my concern of and support for closing Line 5 in Michigan. This aging oil pipeline poses a serious threat to our Great Lakes and the millions of people who rely on them for drinking water, recreation, and economic opportunity.

Line 5 is a 67-year-old pipeline that runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac, a critical chokepoint in the Great Lakes system. A rupture of Line 5 in the Straits would have devastating consequences. It could contaminate hundreds of miles of shoreline, poison drinking water supplies for millions of people, and cripple the Great Lakes economy.

Enbridge, the Canadian company that owns Line 5, has a poor track record of safety. In 2010, a spill from an Enbridge pipeline in the Kalamazoo River released millions of gallons of oil into the environment. The cleanup took years and cost billions of dollars.

Enbridge has proposed building a tunnel to house Line 5 beneath the Straits of Mackinac. However, this proposal is controversial and faces significant legal challenges. Even if the tunnel is ultimately built, it will not eliminate the risk of a spill.

In addition to the above, closing Line 5 would also have a number of positive economic benefits for Michigan. A study by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters found that closing Line 5 and investing in clean energy could create over 50,000 new jobs in Michigan and generate billions of dollars in economic activity.

Closing Line 5 is the right thing to do for our environment, our economy, and our future. I urge everyone in Iosco County to support legislation that will close Line 5 and protect our Great Lakes. This is a matter of public safety and environmental protection.