Attorney General Dana Nessel has formally filed an appeal regarding a lower court’s ruling last on the proposed Line 5 tunnel through the Straits of Mackinac.
State Court of Claims Judge Michael Kelly last week said that Enbridge, the Canadian company that owns the pipeline, could commence with building a tunnel, as a Republican-backed law passed late last year intended. The ruling dealt a blow to Nessel, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and environmental advocates around the state who have pushed to have the pipeline decommissioned, fearing a catastrophic oil spill.
“We always expected this matter would be resolved in the appellate courts,” Nessel said in a statement. “While I disagree with Judge Kelly’s decision, I appreciate how promptly he addressed this case and issued his opinion. This is just the first step in the court process, and I am more resolved than ever to continue this fight on behalf of the people of Michigan.”
In a statement on Tuesday evening, Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy again stressed the company’s belief that a tunnel remains the best option.
“We continue to believe the tunnel is the best solution for Michigan and that Line 5 can continue to be safely operated during the period while the tunnel is being constructed. And we are committed to build it.”
