Madison, Wis – At yesterday’s Enbridge Line 5 Relocation Project contested case hearing, Hydrogeologist Ray Wuolo – who has over three decades of experience investigating groundwater flow and groundwater contamination – confirmed the Line 5 Relocation Project would have no measurable impact on water quality in northern Wisconsin. Wuolo also made clear that the project is designed in such a way to avoid puncturing any groundwater aquifers.
During testimony on Wednesday, Wuolo said, “In my opinion, this project (the Line 5 relocation) is going to have no measurable effect on either surface water or groundwater hydrology.”
Asked to explain if he believed the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Enbridge had properly studied the geology of the area to determine the project’s impact, Wuolo went on to say, “Yes, the geology has been more than sufficiently characterized…in fact, the characterization of the geology on this particular project far exceeds the characterization I have ever seen on a linear project.”
Wuolo went on to explain, “This is unprecedented – especially for a linear feature I have never seen the level of care and analysis taken in attempting to identify the potential presence of a confined aquifer that would cause uncontrollable artisan flow…in fact, there are very few projects that I have ever been involved in that have looked for artisan flows in the way that this has, and those that have, have been places like dam rehabilitation and dam safety evaluations.”
The contest case hearing continues through October 3, with Enbridge and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources experts testifying on the project over the next two weeks.
The hearing is a result of opponents of the project initiating the “contested case” process challenging the permits issued by the Wisconsin DNR for the Line 5 relocation project. The challenge comes even though the DNR spent more than four years compiling and analyzing data, held multiple public hearings and comment periods, and relied on the most state-of-the-art modeling available to make their decision. A nearly 900-page DNR environmental impact statement scientifically and legally justified the issuance of project permits. The DNR also included 231 conditions on the permits to require the strongest environmental standards possible.
Line 5 is unique because it not only moves crude oil that is refined into transportation fuels, but it also transports natural gas liquids that are made into propane. In fact, a public comment submitted to the DNR by major propane supplier Plains Midstream sent a critical warning that a rejection of the Line 5 relocation project would likely send Wisconsin into a propane state of emergency, leading to supply shortages and massive price increases.
During the Wisconsin DNR’s permitting process, over two dozen of Wisconsin’s leading organizations representing farmers, small businesses, labor unions and papermakers submitted comments in favor of the relocation project. Those groups included the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Propane Gas Association, Wisconsin Building Trades Council, Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Independent Businesses, Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Wisconsin Paper Council, Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, Wisconsin Pipe Trades, Wisconsin Restaurant Association, Wisconsin Soybean Association, Cooperative Network, Dairy Business Association, Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association, Building Trades Council of South Central Wisconsin, Construction Business Group, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139, Midwest Food Products Association, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, Northern Wisconsin Building and Construction Trades Council and Teamsters Local 346. In fact, an analysis of public records found that Wisconsinites supported the Line 5 relocation project by a 2-to-1 margin during the DNR comment period in 2022.
