Ohio chamber says Michigan’s state lawsuit to shut down pipeline will fail
(The Center Square) – The Ohio Chamber of Commerce continued to put pressure on Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s attempt to shut down a pipeline that affects more than 20,000 Ohio jobs by saying a decision to end a federal lawsuit proves the case is weak.
Whitmer dismissed her federal lawsuit against Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline that sought to revoke the 1953 easement agreement that allows Line 5, and said she plans to pursue a lawsuit in state court to shut down the pipeline.
Ohio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Stivers believes the state lawsuit will fail.
“Gov. Whitmer’s decision to end her federal lawsuit that attempted to shut down Line 5 shows she knows how weak her case is,” Stivers said. “While she is continuing her legal challenge in state court, we are confident the law will ultimately halt her efforts to wreck the economy of the Great Lakes region.
“Amidst rising gas and energy prices for Ohioans and Ohio businesses, the Ohio chamber will continue our efforts in court, because Line 5 is an economic engine delivering half a million barrels per day of crude oil that account for 42% of our region’s refinery capacity.”
The Consumer Energy Alliance reported a Line 5 closure would create a $20.8 billion loss of economic activity and an $8.3 billion reduction in combined gross state product, cost 33,755 jobs, eliminate $2.36 billion in wages and lower tax revenues by $265.7 million.
A project was approved by former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to allow Enbridge to create a tunnel to house the pipeline under the lakebed and prevent any environmental issues from occurring. After pushback from activists, then newly elected Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel blocked the tunnel plans and sought to decommission Line 5 altogether.
The Line 5 pipeline services two Oregon refineries in northwest Ohio. According to Ohio officials, closing the line would cause a significant disruption in the supply chain, which serves as a source of jet fuel for several regional and international airports, particularly in Cleveland and Detroit.
A Line 5 shutdown affects jobs and fuel availability in the region, according to Enbridge, leaving Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan and Canadian provinces Ontario and Quebec with a 14.7-million-U.S.-gallons-a-day supply shortage of gas, diesel and jet fuel. That represents about 45% of the current supply.
Ohio lawmakers, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted have pressured Michigan in recent weeks and months to allow the pipeline to remain open.
“Despite Gov. Whitmer’s efforts to shut down Line 5, the operation of the pipeline and the construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel have received bipartisan support from national, international and state leaders such as Gov. DeWine and Lt. Gov. Husted,” Stivers said.
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