Army Corps Permits Line 5 Pipeline Despite Indigenous Land Harm

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a critical permit for the proposed update of a segment of the Line 5 pipeline, which crosses the ecologically sensitive Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. This decision represents a procedural advancement for Enbridge Energy, the pipeline's owner, although significant legal and regulatory challenges at the state level continue to impede the commencement of construction. The Line 5 pipeline spans 645 miles, transporting oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, Wisconsin, through Michigan, and onward to Sarnia, Ontario. Enbridge's current proposal involves replacing a 4-mile section of the pipeline that rests on the bottom of the Straits with a new segment to be encased within a tunnel constructed beneath the lakebed. In its official statement accompanying the permit approval, the Army Corps of Engineers asserted that the project is not contrary to the public interest, adheres to the guidelines set forth by the Clean Water Act, and "would not abrogate or impermissibly impair tribal treaty rights." The review process for this permit was notably expedited under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last year, which declared a "national energy emergency." For the five Michigan tribal nations that have actively campaigned for years to cease operations of the Line 5 pipeline, the federal permit's approval was met with strong condemnation. Austin Lowes, chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, described the decision as "disrespectful and ludicrous," stating that federal authorities are "acutely aware of the impact that this project will have on Indian Country, and they just flat-out ignored it." He further characterized the situation as "one of the most disgusting things that I’ve ever been confronted with as a tribal leader." Internal assessments by the Army Corps of Engineers itself acknowledge that the proposed tunnel construction is projected to inflict permanent adverse effects on wetlands, vegetation, land use, and cultural resources. The Straits of Mackinac hold profound spiritual significance for the Anishaabe peoples, featuring prominently in their creation narratives and serving as ancestral burial grounds. Furthermore, five tribal nations possess treaty rights, predating Michigan's statehood and protected under federal law via the 1836 Treaty of Washington, to fish and hunt within these waters. The Army Corps' decision to grant the permit, despite these acknowledged impacts and treaty rights, has ignited further conflict between tribal sovereignty and federal energy infrastructure policy.