LANSING, July 17 — For Gretchen Whitmer, the Line 5 pipeline has been one of the most defining and delicate challenges of her time as Michigan’s governor. She took office in 2019, a Democrat and former state senator, and almost immediately the aging pipeline — which carries oil through the Straits of Mackinac — became a flashpoint. Environmental groups wanted it shut down outright, fearing a catastrophic spill into the Great Lakes.
Business and energy interests wanted it left alone, arguing it was vital for regional fuel supplies. In 2020, Whitmer made a bold move.
Her administration revoked an easement that allowed the existing pipeline to operate, citing what she saw as unacceptable environmental risks. It was a clear signal that, under her watch, the threat of an oil leak in the Mackinac waters was not something she was willing to gamble with. Enbridge, the Canadian company that owns Line 5, refused to comply with the revocation.
That standoff quickly escalated into a federal lawsuit, with both sides digging in. For a time, it seemed the fight would be settled only in court.
A Compromise Takes Shape
But by 2023, Whitmer’s position had evolved. Her administration began to publicly support a different solution: the Line 5 tunnel project. The idea, backed by Enbridge, was to build a new underground tunnel beneath the straits that would house a replacement pipeline, reducing the risk of a spill while still allowing oil to flow.
For Whitmer, the tunnel represented a compromise. It did not satisfy those who wanted the pipeline gone entirely, nor did it simply rubber-stamp the status quo.
It was a middle path — one that acknowledged the economic reality of the pipeline while trying to address the environmental fears that had driven her original decision. On January 10, 2024, that compromise moved from concept to concrete action. State agencies under Whitmer’s authority approved key permits for the tunnel project.
It was a significant step forward, giving Enbridge the regulatory green light it needed to begin serious work on the new infrastructure.
Caught Between Two Sides
The governor has faced criticism from both directions ever since. Environmental groups, who had hoped her 2020 revocation would lead to a permanent shutdown, saw the tunnel approval as a retreat. They argue that any new pipeline infrastructure, even a safer one, only prolongs the region’s dependence on fossil fuels and keeps a spill risk alive.
On the other side, business interests and some labor unions have pushed for the pipeline to keep operating without disruption. For them, the tunnel project is a reasonable solution, but they have been wary of any delays or additional regulatory hurdles that could slow it down.
Whitmer, in navigating this, has tried to hold a line that balances safety with supply. Her administration has framed the tunnel as a way to reduce the most dangerous risk — a rupture in the open water — while still allowing the oil to move.
What Comes Next
With the key permits now approved, the focus shifts to construction and the ongoing federal lawsuit over the original easement revocation. That legal case has not been resolved, and it continues to hang over the entire project. For now, Whitmer remains in the middle of a fight that shows no signs of cooling.
The tunnel project is moving forward, but the passions on both sides are as strong as ever. In Michigan, the Line 5 story is far from over.
