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Whitmer rethinks Line 5 tunnel permits, ramps up shutdown pleas after court ruling

The review follows a Michigan Supreme Court ruling that requires broader environmental analysis and could delay the tunnel project by years, officials said.

  • On Wednesday, Michigan environmental regulators announced they are reconsidering permits for the $800 million Line 5 tunnel project following a July 31 Michigan Supreme Court ruling that requires deeper environmental review.
  • Six of Michigan's seven Supreme Court justices ruled in July that the Michigan Public Service Commission failed to adequately consider environmental impacts when approving the tunnel project almost three years ago, vacating the approval.
  • Governor Gretchen Whitmer wrote Wednesday to Enbridge CEO Gregory Ebel calling Line 5 'a ticking time bomb in the heart of the Great Lakes,' following an August 25 Wisconsin accident that spilled an estimated 1.3 million gallons of natural gas liquids.
  • EGLE Director Phil Roos stated Wednesday that permit conditions prevent tunnel construction until legal questions are resolved, though Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy countered the company already has state agreement and would proceed without litigation.
  • Whitmer warned an operating tunnel could be at least 10 years away and may never be built, while environmental groups and tribal leaders argue the project distracts from shutting down Line 5, contending experts concluded the pipeline's capacity could be replaced within months.
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The Detroit News broke the news in Detroit, United States on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
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