Dozens of people made comments on Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel proposal in a virtual meeting Monday night.
The Canadian oil and gas company wants to build a passage in the bedrock beneath the Straits of Mackinac to house the oil pipeline.
Many callers agreed that the current pipeline is unsafe, but there was little consensus on how to move forward.
Supporters of the project included union reps from Ohio, Enbridge employees and elected officials throughout Michigan.
“We all depend on Line 5 every day and we need it to keep serving this region.”
Others cited propane costs in the Upper Peninsula, job security, and the safety of the tunnel project as reasons to support the proposal.
Opponents raised concerns about the tunnel’s environmental impact and larger issues of investing in fossil fuels.
The meeting was hosted by the Michigan Public Services Commission.
The state attorney and other groups have contested Enbridge’s application and will testify against the project in February.