Line 5

Agencies

• Michigan Public Service Commission

  The MPSC authorizes proposals for energy infrastructure including intrastate and interstate crude oil and petroleum product pipelines by authority of Public Act 16 of 1929 and operates in a quasi-judicial manner with the Commission making final decisions through a formal evidentiary hearing process, otherwise known as a contested case proceeding. The MPSC will consider Enbridge’s request to replace and relocate the portion of the Line 5 pipeline crossing the Straits of Mackinac into a tunnel beneath the Straits.

• Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

  The principal laws EGLE considers when evaluating pipeline projects that impact water resources fall under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act of 1994 (NREPA).  Enbridge has submitted permit applications for work within wetland areas, water discharges and under the submerged lands portions of NREPA.

• Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority

  The Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA) within the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responsible for overseeing construction and operation of a tunnel in bedrock beneath the waters of the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel will house a replacement segment for the Line 5 petroleum pipelines that currently sit on the bottom of the Straits and will accommodate other utilities to improve infrastructure connections between the peninsulas. MSCA will own the tunnel after its construction and provide independent oversight throughout its life.