Environmental groups say the state is using the Alternatives Analysis - which explored alternative ways to deliver oil while closing the Line 5 Pipeline beneath the straits of Mackinac - as a stall tactic.
Environmental groups also say the report itself was compromised by conflicts of interest.
Sean McBrearty is with Oil and Water Don’t Mix, an environmental group opposing Line 5. He said the Alternatives Analysis was funded by Enbridge and is clearly biased.
“We knew that this was a stall tactic in shutting down Line 5. Attorney General Bill Schuette has had the authority on his own to shutdown Line 5 ever since he became Attorney General there have been repeated violations of the easement.”
Nick Assendelft is with the Michigan Agency for Energy. He said that’s not a fair characterization of the study.
“Enbridge did put up the money for the studies, they put the money in escrow. The state has control of that money in terms of who was hired to do the process. The hiring of the independent contracter was done by the state with no influence from enbridge.”
McBrearty said the goal is working now to make sure the state knows the group is paying close attention.
“Right now we want to make sure that the state doesn’t try to engage in any more stall tactics. It’s time for them to act.”
Assendelft said the state is trying to weigh it’s options so it can make the right decision.
“There is still a lot of other information out there that we want to gather and other voices that we need to
hear. So we’re in the process of doing that.”
McBrearty said the 23-thousand Michiganders who commented on the plan asking for a shutdown should be voice enough.