In 2021, Enbridge and their allies spent more than $8 million on digital, TV, and radio advertising in Michigan, working to turn public Opinion against the decommissioning of Line 5.
Myth: Shutting down Line 5 will raise gas prices significantly
The Truth: When Line 5 was shut down for 52 days in June 2020 there was no impact on gas prices in Michigan. (1) On June 8, 2022, Federal Court documents showed that Enbridge’s own expert states that the future impact might be ½ a cent per gallon. (2)
Myth: Without Line 5, the price of propane will skyrocket
The Truth: According to the most comprehensive, independent study done (3), shutting down Line 5 might result in a temporary price increase of not more than 5 cents per gallon (4)--well within normal market price fluctuations. The volume of propane offloaded in the Upper Peninsula is 0.25% of the volume of Line 5--yes, that’s only ¼ of 1 percent of what flows through Line 5.
Myth: Thousands of Michiganders depend on Line 5 for their jobs
The Truth: Enbridge only employs 116 workers and provisioned contractors in Michigan. More jobs would be created by decommissioning and removing Line 5 (2,188 jobs) than by building a tunnel (1,763 jobs). More than 1.3 million regional jobs depend on the Great Lakes, creating $82 billion in annual wages.
Myth: Line 5 is safe and an oil spill won't be that bad
The truth: Line 5 has 33 reported spills of 1.1 million gallons along its length. (5) So far, none have been reported in the Straits of Mackinac. The pipelines in the Straits cross one of the most ecologically sensitive areas in the world. University of Michigan scientists modeled and buoy tested the currents in the Straits of Mackinac and then called it "the worst possible place for an oil spill in the Great Lakes". (6) This striking video modeling contrasts 3 different sites as an example. (7) The Great Lakes is home to 90% of North America’s surface fresh water (7) and drinking water for over 40 million people. (8) Even a small spill is likely to impact 37 miles of coastline with a best case scenario of 30% clean up (9) --if there’s no ice, waves are less than 3 feet, it’s daylight, and all the equipment needed is nearby.
Myth: Michigan needs a tunnel to "make a safe pipeline safer"
The Truth: Michigan does not need the oil in Line 5, so we don’t need a tunnel for it. (10) The current pipeline has violated many safety requirements of the agreement it made to use the Great Lakes, so it's not safe. It is located in a busy shipping channel and has already been struck by anchors. (11) Twice. Also, Enbridge only performed half of the geotechnical work required to thoroughly survey the underwater location for its tunnel. There is no guarantee the tunnel will be safe. Independent experts warn of two kinds of tunnel explosion risks. Even the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has raised concerns with operation and maintenance of a pipeline in a tunnel.
Also, since Governor Whitmer revoked the easement, Line 5 is currently being operated illegally. (12)
As Pipeline Safety Advisory Board member Mike Shriberg said so well, "While there are substitutes for Line 5, there are no alternatives for the Great Lakes and our way of life".
Compiled by Sierra Club Michigan Chapter and Terri Wilkerson, June 16, 2022
Sources
- https://michiganadvance.com/2020/08/10/study-partial-line-5-shutdown-has-not-impacted-gas-prices-despite-enbridge-warnings
- https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/06/line-5-shutdown-would-hike-gas-prices-a-half-cent-per-gallon-court-filing-reveals.html
- https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/straits/graphics/particles.gif
- http://www.cbcwa.com/great_lakes_compact/index.php
- https://www.glc.org/lakes
- https://www.londoneconomics.com/lei-examines-supply-alternatives-for-michigan-propane-consumers
- https://www.michiganradio.org/news/2018-07-27/report-michigan-doesnt-need-line-5-for-propane
- https://www.mlive.com/news/2017/04/enbridge_line_5_spill_history.html
- https://www.oilandwaterdontmix.org/line_5_spill_release_scenarios_from_university_of_michigan
- https://www.record-eagle.com/opinion/forum-snyder-s-tunnel-trick-distracts-from-line/article_8f2a5b06-65d1-5992-a334-322d9728d85a.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2019/05/video-shows-shocking-aftermath-of-line-5-anchor-strike.html
- https://www.narf.org/cases/enbridges-line-5-pipeline/