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MI HR0051

Resolution

Status

Introduced

3/28/2017

Primary Sponsor

Yousef Rabhi

Click for details

Origin

House of Representatives

99th Legislature

AI Summary

  • Urges the Governor and Attorney General to immediately terminate the 1953 easement and shut down the Enbridge Energy Line 5 pipelines operating under the Straits of Mackinac
  • Contends that a rupture of Line 5 would likely contaminate at least 700 miles of coastline and that the U.S. Coast Guard cannot effectively respond to leaks in the Great Lakes
  • Identifies multiple material breaches of the easement agreement: pipeline walls are up to 41 percent thinner than required, corrosion has eroded up to 26 percent of thickness, and unsupported spans repeatedly exceed the required 75-foot anchor spacing
  • States the 64-year-old pipeline transports nearly 23 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids daily at flow rates 80 percent above original specifications without adequate emergency response plans
  • Notes Enbridge's liability and surety bonds of $1 million and $100,000 are insufficient given that a previous Enbridge spill cost over $1.2 billion to clean up

Legislative Description

A resolution to urge the Governor and Attorney General to exercise their authority as guardians of the public trust to terminate the 1953 easement and shut down the Enbridge Energy Line 5 pipelines on the bottomlands of the Straits of Mackinac.

Governor

Last Action

Referred To Committee On Energy Policy

3/28/2017

Committee Referrals

Energy Policy3/28/2017

Full Bill Text

No bill text available