A state board that oversees the proposed Line 5 tunnel recently introduced a new member.
The Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority recently welcomed Republican, Ruth Hepfer as their newest member on the three-person board.
Hepfer currently works part-time as an engineer and spent 24 years with the Federal Highway Administration. She worked with federal aid programs and oversaw construction of roads and bridges in Michigan.
“I understand the significance of this appointment to the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority and the duty regarding the utility tunnel under the Straits," Hepfer said at the Oct. 18 meeting. "This is an extraordinary endeavor, important to both the upper and lower peninsulas."
Hepfer replaces Andy Doctoroff, an Independent, who served on the Authority for one year. WCMU was not able to reach Doctoroff to learn why he resigned.
During the meeting, an Enbridge representative also said the company plans to re-submit for a state permit by the end of the year. The tunnel project cannot move forward without that permit and federal approval.
