My Take: Enbridge’s Line 5 fines for trespassing keep racking up

It’s been nearly two months since Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered Enbridge Energy to cease operation of the Line 5 oil pipeline by revoking a state easement but since then little has changed.

Enbridge is still operating the dangerous and deteriorating Line 5 pipeline – trespassing to do so — and racking up millions in daily fines.

Let’s not forget — Line 5 has leaked oil at least 33 times, spilling more than 1 million gallons.  Line 5 was built to last about 50 years and at 68 years old, it’s still pumping 23 million gallons through Lake Michigan and Lake Huron each day.

Enbridge is responsible for the Kalamazoo River oil spill that harmed communities, businesses and wildlife and still goes down as one of the largest inland oil spills in the United States history. 

In Michigan, we’ve seen the terrible impact outdated and failing infrastructure can have to our environment and to human health; from contaminated water in Flint to bursting dams in Midland.  Our Great Lakes and vital tourist economy in Northern Michigan will be next if Line 5 continues to operate in the Straits of Mackinac.   

Simply put, Line 5 is a ticking time bomb in our region and we cannot wait for the necessary permitting process around a potential tunnel to unfold to see how long our luck will last. Enbridge has ignored popular outcry, scientific facts and now the Governor’s order. Their behavior is a disgrace.  

The specialty food business my family created in 1982, American Spoon, has been built on relationships with our neighbors, our community and our state. American Spoon is a member of the Great Lakes Business Network because we are committed to protecting our Great Lakes by addressing threats to our waters. There’s no greater threat to the Great Lakes than the continued operation of Line 5. 

As we cope with another year of record fruit crop losses due in part to a changing climate caused by burning fossil fuels, we know it's time to turn the corner away from old pipelines and toward renewable energy to power our state. We deserve a better future; one that we will create when we get beyond this dangerous present.  

— Noah Marshall-Rashid is co-owner of American Spoon in Petoskey and member of the Great Lakes Business Network.