The US Army Corps of Engineers has marked the Line 5 pipeline tunnel as a priority project under an emergency order issued by president Donald Trump in January, reported news agency Associated Press.
The order was part of a broader push to reduce US dependence on foreign energy. It directs federal agencies to fast-track permits for selected energy infrastructure, including the Enbridge tunnel project under the Straits of Mackinac, which link Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
This pipeline, active since 1953, transports roughly 87 million litres of crude oil and natural gas liquids daily. Enbridge argues that the proposed tunnel will protect the aging pipeline from external damage and improve safety. Work would involve drilling a 5.8-kilometre tunnel beneath the lakebed at an estimated cost of $500 million.
But the decision to expedite has drawn sharp criticism. Environmental groups like the Sierra Club, legal firms such as Earthjustice, and the Great Lakes Business Network say the project puts one of North America’s most vital freshwater ecosystems at risk.
“The only energy ‘emergency’ the American people face is Trump’s efforts to disregard clean air and water safeguards to rush through dirty, dangerous fossil fuel projects,” said Mahyar Sorour, director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy.
Tribal nations also raised objections, accusing the Corps of failing to consult them properly or assess spill risks and climate impacts. Seven tribes have withdrawn from further consultation.
Meanwhile, legal hurdles remain. The Michigan Attorney General and Governor are still pursuing lawsuits to revoke Enbridge’s easement. In Wisconsin, the Bad River Band is fighting a separate segment of the line that crosses its reservation, citing expired permits and spill risks.
