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In addition to Michigan’s efforts to close Line 5, a local group in Wisconsin is now asking a judge there to do the same.
Author of the article:
The Canadian press
James McCarton
Publication date:
May 6, 2022 • 11 hours ago • 3 minutes reading • 29 comments A signboard indicates the presence of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline in Sarnia, Ont. Photo: Carlos Osorio / Reuters
Content of the article
WASHINGTON – Natural Resources Secretary Jonathan Wilkinson doubles Canada’s claim that the continued operation of the Line 5 pipeline is “non-negotiable.”
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Wilkinson made the comments Friday in the House of Commons, when opposition lawmakers took advantage of media reports that the disputed cross-border pipeline was facing another court challenge.
In addition to Michigan’s efforts to close Line 5, a local group in Wisconsin is now asking a judge there to do the same.
The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa claims in court documents that Enbridge Inc., the owner of the pipeline, is no longer allowed to operate on its territory.
Fifteen of the 20-year easements that allowed the company to operate on the group’s territory expired in 2013 and were never properly renewed, court documents say.
“Enbridge continued to operate the pipeline as if it had an indefinite right to do so,” according to documents first reported by Globe and Mail.
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“This constitutes illegal possession of the subject lands and deliberate encroachment on them.”
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The case of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline with Michigan will be heard in federal court
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Canada refers to the 1977 gas pipeline agreement with the United States on the Line 5 dispute
In February, the group applied for a summary sentence against Enbridge – in other words, to close Line 5 without trial.
“Continuation of line 5 operation is non-negotiable,” Wilkinson said Friday in response to a question from Conservative MP John Brasard.
“We will take appropriate steps to ensure the continued safe operation of this critical infrastructure. And we continue to work closely with the owner of line 5. ”
Wilkinson said he would continue to raise the issue in discussions with his American counterparts. Federal officials say the minister will be in the District of Columbia for meetings on a number of bilateral issues in the coming days, possibly as early as next week.
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However, the Conservatives want the government to take a tougher line, urging Secretary of State Melanie Jolie to intervene in the Wisconsin case in the same way they did in Michigan: with a friend’s bulletin to put Canada’s economic interests on the agenda.
“As before, the government must adopt a Canadian team approach to tackling this latest legal challenge for an international pipeline that is crucial to our nation,” Conservative MPs Greg McLean and Marilyn Gladu wrote in a letter to Jolie. earlier this week.
“We urge you to once again protect and support Canada’s interest by applying to amicus and ensuring that the terms of the 1977 Transit Pipeline Agreement are met.
Meanwhile, Enbridge is in the process of trying to move the pipeline away from the strip, said spokesman Jesse Semko, adding that the 1992 agreement with the Bad River Band allowed operations to continue until 2043.
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The government must take a Canadian Team approach to tackle this latest legal challenge
The relocation project will include a Wisconsin and union and local labor contractor, as well as $ 46 million spent specifically on local businesses and communities in the area, Semko said.
“An agreement has been reached with 100 percent of private landowners on relocation, which was chosen because it minimizes environmental impact and protects critical resources.
The challenge in Wisconsin comes when Anbridge tries to repel Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who fears an environmental disaster in the Mackinac Strait, where twin lines cross the Great Lakes.
Enbridge insists the pipeline is safe and has already received state approval for a $ 500 million concrete tunnel under the straits that will house the pipeline’s double pipes and protect them from anchor strikes.
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In the case of Michigan, Canada relied on a 1977 bilateral pipeline agreement aimed at ensuring a continuous flow of energy between the two countries, and petitioned the court there to allow those negotiations to continue.
It is not yet clear whether the federal liberal government will do so again on the Wisconsin issue, although separate negotiations are likely to be needed, Semko added.
“Given the volumes on line 5, there are no easy alternatives to the upper Midwestern United States and Canada,” he said in a statement.
“Moving the same volumes by truck or train will require more trucks and train wagons than are currently available, it would cost significantly more and burn more fuel to move it.
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