Bay Mills Indian Community fights a proposed oil pipeline tunnel, which would run through their

[diva77]

sacred homelands and impact communities, local businesses, and the environment.

(emailed 2-28-2023)

https://narf.org/cases/enbridges-line-5-pipeline/

The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) and Earthjustice have teamed up with the Bay Mills Indian Community to fight a proposed oil pipeline tunnel, which would impact communities, local businesses, and the environment. The proposed tunnel would encapsulate oil giant Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, purportedly to prevent another oil spill.

Enbridge continues to operate the Line 5 pipeline in defiance of a state order to cease operations and without a valid lease to submerged lands for the project. A repeat offender of U.S. environmental regulations, the Canadian oil company has incurred over $6.5 million in fines to repair and maintain existing Line 5 infrastructure. You don’t have to look far to see the potential impact a devastating oil spill can cause, in fact, Enbridge was responsible for the largest inland oil spill in 2010 in Michigan’s Kalamazoo River, which resulted in nearly 1 million gallons of oil being released into Michigan’s waterways.
SNIP

Case Updates:
February 2023: MPSC Learns Proposed Tunnel Project Creates Explosion Risks

On Feb. 3, 2023, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) received testimony that the Enbridge plan to dig a pipeline tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac could lead to an explosion. Geologist and engineer Brian O’Mara and pipeline safety expert Richard Kuprewicz testified that the release of oil from such an explosion would devastate the freshwater, wildlife, and shorelines of Great Lakes.
SNIP

[Kaleva]

1. The Bay Mills Indian Community reside on the shores of Lake Superior

Not near the Straits of Mackinaw .

The state of Michigan doesn't have any control over the pipeline as there is a treaty with Canada.

"Canada invokes 1977 pipeline treaty with U.S. over Line 5 dispute"

"Invoking the treaty will force U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to get involved in the Line 5 dispute, said Ian Lee, a business professor at Ottawa's Carleton University.

"They're going to escalate it up to the nation-to-nation level, and hopefully we will have a resolution,” Lee said, adding that for Ottawa, a shutdown would be a political catastrophe."

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/canada-formally-invokes-1977-pipeline-treaty-with-us-over-line-5-dispute-2021-10-04/


Because Canada invoked the treaty, federal government is now involved:

"Biden Admin Dismisses Michigan Gov’s Wishes On Line 5 Pipeline Closure"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielmarkind/2021/11/15/president-biden-finally-pulls-back-on-line-5-closure/

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is ready to review the environmental impacts of a proposed tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge Energy’s Line 5, which carries crude oil and natural gas liquids, would be housed in that tunnel.

On Thursday evening, the USACE heard from the public during an online event."

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/09/line-5-comments-army-corps-engineers/

[diva77]

2. If you scroll down at the link in OP there is section from 2021 that mentions the significance of

that area to them:

BMIC President Whitney Gravelle submitted testimony describing the negative impacts the project would have to the waters and land in and around the Straits of Mackinac and the Great Lakes, which the tribe has reserved access to through treaty for fishing, hunting, and gathering. “It is dangerous to construct a tunnel and route a pipeline through lands and waters that are central to our existence as indigenous people and as a Tribal Nation,” wrote Gravelle. “The project poses a serious threat to our treaty rights, our cultural and religious interests in the Great Lakes, our economy, and the health and welfare of our tribal citizens.”

=========
not sure whether you were pointing out that there was something incorrect in the article I posted?

[Kaleva]

3. The tribe is small and located on the shores of Lake Superior

The article doesn't give any info as to why the Straits are important to the tribe other then they just say it does

It looks like this is out of the tribe's and the state of Michigan's hands as the Biden Administration has taken over

The tribes here often oppose projects like the construction of windmills to generate green energy or the opening of mines..

[diva77]

4. I thought the excerpt I posted in #2 pointed out the importance. I also am no expert on this issue