Michigan tribes say Line 5 pipeline tunnel plan ignores treaty rights
Michigan officials have spent the past year pursuing a plan to tunnel an oil pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac while ignoring the 182-year-old treaty rights of Native Americans, multiple tribal leaders say.
While the Snyder administration formally met with tribes three times over the past year under a State-Tribal Accord, tribal leaders say these consultations were little more than an “airing of grievances” for them.
The last meeting between tribes and Gov. Rick Snyder was Sept. 27, less than a week before the state announced an agreement with Enbridge to pursue a $500 million tunnel for the company’s Line 5 pipeline. In other meetings, officials have been unwilling to share information from Enbridge or modify any agreements, tribes say.
“They more or less told us to pound sand,” said Bryan Newland, chairman of the Bay Mills Indian Community in the Upper Peninsula. “Our objective is not to show up and shake our fist at the state. It’s to propose solutions.”
Read moe: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/michigan-tribes-say-line-5-pipeline-tunnel-plan-ignores-treaty-rights
