Line 5 tunnel in Michigan clears major permitting hurdle, in blow to opposition

Michigan regulators this week approved key permits for a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac meant to house a replacement section of the Line 5 pipeline, which carries crude oil and natural gas liquids between Wisconsin and Ontario. The state's environmental agency approved a construction permit for the lake bottomlands, and the Department of Natural Resources issued a separate permit despite acknowledging the project will harm rare plants and animals in the area. Both permits require Enbridge, the company behind the project, to take steps to limit damage, such as restoring wetlands and avoiding tree-clearing during bat season.

This isn't a program homeowners can apply for or opt into, but it matters if you live near the Great Lakes region or care about the area's environment. Opponents, including tribal nations whose treaty lands the tunnel would cross, argue the project isn't needed and will lock in decades of fossil fuel use while risking cultural and burial sites. The Bay Mills Indian Community is considering a legal challenge to the permits.

Enbridge still needs additional state and federal approvals, including a wastewater discharge permit and a pending Army Corps of Engineers review, before construction can start. A separate case over the pipeline's future is before the Michigan Supreme Court, with a ruling expected by the end of summer. For now, this week's approvals mark a step forward for the tunnel, but the project isn't cleared to begin building yet.