A public hearing is scheduled for July 25 on a permit application for 22 anchor supports on the Line 5 Pipeline beneath the straits of Mackinac.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is in the midst of a public comment period on the application from Enbridge energy.
Liz Kirkwood is with the environmental group, For the Love of Water. She said the anchors are part of a larger pattern of violations by Enbridge.
“This issue of anchors is not one of meer maintenance but rather is fundamental to the structure of the entire pipeline and therefore the state of Michigan as our public trustee must bring Enbridge under the rule of law for once and all.”
Melody Kindraka is the with the MDEQ. She said the permit application falls under the Great Lakes Submerged Lands Act.
“And that basically means that anytime you want to install anything in a Great Lake lake bed you need a permit from the state of Michigan.”
Kindraka said after the comment period closes there’s no set deadline for approving or denying the application.
“There is no statutory requirement for timeline on this. We certainly are aware of the public's interest but also the weather associated with this type of installation.”
The public hearing will be held from 1 - 4 at the the Little Bear East Arena and Community Center in Saint Ignace.
The public comment period closes on August 4th.
Enbridge Energy could not be reached for comment.