Madison, Wis – In a guest column published today by the Capital Times, president and business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139, Terry McGowan, and president and business manager of the Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council, Kent Miller, make their case that the continued legal maneuvers stopping the Line 5 relocation project, including recent legal action against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, need to stop. The two also address attempts by opponents of Line 5 to tie a recent pipeline leak confined to a pump station property in Jefferson County to the Line 5 project.
Key excerpts from the column:
“The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ review of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline relocation took more than four years, included multiple opportunities for public input, and resulted in an 898-page environmental impact statement that concluded the project could be completed safely and in a manner that meets our state’s strict environmental standards.”
“…by a more than 2-to-1 margin, Wisconsinites sent in supportive comments for the project. But despite this reality, and the warning that without the Line 5 relocation our state could be sent into a propane state of emergency…the legal games of opponents of this project continue. The most recent move is to utilize regulatory delay and legal actions against the DNR to stop the Line 5 relocation permits…While this action is unfortunate, it was also predictable. Opponents of the relocation project have made it clear their opposition doesn’t center on the project itself, but in their desire to immediately end the use of fossil fuels.”
“You may have seen some are trying to sensationalize a recent leak that was contained to an Enbridge pipeline pump station in Jefferson County as a reason to oppose the Line 5 relocation project…While a leak is never a good thing and rigorous efforts are in place to prevent any oil release… Enbridge acted quickly to report the leak, repair the faulty underground flange where the leak was occurring and remove any impacted soil. To date, all impacts from this leak has been limited to just the Enbridge pump station property. For perspective, compare this to the train derailment in Ohio a couple of years ago. Pipelines are, unquestionably, the safest way to move energy.”
“The DNR did its job and confirmed the Line 5 project will be built safely and with minimal impact to the environment…It’s time for the political games and legal maneuvers to come to an end. It’s time to build the Line 5 relocation.”
The full column can be found on the Capital Times website.
