ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Ask almost anyone in Michigan: What is the biggest ongoing environmental story in the state? The answer will likely be “Line 5.”
The pipeline carries crude oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. And part of it runs along the floor of the Mackinac Straits. Pipeline owner Enbridge wants to bury that stretch in a tunnel beneath the Straits.
Proponents view the tunnel as a safer alternative to the existing, exposed pipelines. Vocal critics say it will perpetuate our reliance on fossil fuels and that Line 5’s very operation poses a grave risk to the health of the Great Lakes.
There are a lot of moving parts to the story and a lot of context to understand. So WCMU and Interlochen Public Radio teamed up to spell it out a little.
Have feedback on this project? Let us know at news@wcmu.org
This resource is compiled and maintained by WCMU’s Teresa Homsi and Rick Brewer, and Interlochen Public Radio’s Izzy Ross, Ellie Katz and Ed Ronco. Some of the reporting for this project was made possible by partnerships with Report for America and Grist. Additional support on this project came from WCMU's Scott Rechlin and IPR's Emily Duncan Wilson.
Enbridge has been a corporate supporter of both WCMU and Interlochen Public Radio, as well as other public radio stations. Our editorial decisions are made independently by the newsroom staff, free of financial influence.