Governor Gretchen Whitmer is reportedly considering a tunnel for an oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac.
In a written statement to Interlochen Public Radio, Governor Whitmer says she’s committed to protecting the Great Lakes, and removing the Line five oil pipelines as soon as possible.
But in an interview with the Detroit News on Monday, she says a tunnel for a new pipeline is still an option.
Jim Olson is the director of ‘For the Love of Water’, an environmental advocacy group.
He says this runs counter to what Governor Whitmer has said in the past.
“The basic message of the governor has been to remove crude oil from the Straits of Mackinac.”
Under a deal struck last year, Enbridge Energy was allowed to build a tunnel for a new pipeline.
But the Michigan Attorney General found that unconstitutional, and the Governor stopped all construction on it.
In a statement, Enbridge says they believe the pipeline is the best way to protect the Great Lakes and meet the energy needs of the state.