Resource
The Legal Battle to Shut Down Line 5
MiCAN and partners have been involved in many of the cases against the Line 5 crude oil pipeline to protect the climate.
Line 5 Pipeline
Michigan’s Fight Against Line 5
From Attorney General lawsuits to gubernatorial orders, Michigan leaders have taken decisive legal action to shut down Line 5 and protect the Great Lakes from catastrophic oil spills, but have had mixed results.
- 2019: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit to shut down Line 5 after serious damage to an anchor support was discovered. After six years of legal delays by Enbridge, the case is back in state court. Read more.
- 2020: Governor Gretchen Whitmer revoked Enbridge’s easement and ordered the shutdown of Line 5 due to its threat to the Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for over 40 million people. Enbridge continues to operate Line 5 in violation of this order.
- March 18, 2025: The 6th Circuit Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Enbridge v. Whitmer. Listen to the 6th Circuit Court recording.
- June 30, 2025: The Michigan Climate Action Network (MiCAN) and the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) submitted comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, calling on the agency to include climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) considerations in its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the proposed Line 5 Tunnel Project under the Straits of Mackinac. Read more about it.
- November 14, 2025: The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), Michigan Climate Action Network (MiCAN), Bay Mills Indian Community, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi filed their opening brief in the Michigan Supreme Court challenging Enbridge Energy’s efforts to build an oil pipeline tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac.
Permits vs. Protection: The Legal Frontline
While Enbridge pursues permits for its proposed tunnel, MiCAN and partners are challenging regulatory approvals at every level—from state commissions to federal agencies to Michigan’s Supreme Court.
Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC)
- December 2023: MPSC approved Enbridge’s tunnel project, despite overwhelming public opposition. MiCAN and environmental groups challenged the decision in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
- January 2025: The court denied the appeal, but the fight is not over. Watch the Press Conference and MCOA Oral Arguments.
- February 2025: MiCAN delivered an appeal letter, signed by 1057 individuals and 49 organizations & businesses, to Governor Whitmer.
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
- 2021: EGLE granted a permit for the tunnel, which the Bay Mills Indian Community challenged.
- 2025: Enbridge re-applied for a wetlands permit, which MiCAN and ELPC opposed through comments we submitted. Enbridge failed to meet its burden to comply with Michigan law. The proposal calls for six years of intensive construction across 15 acres of interconnected wetlands, using a 24-foot tunnel boring machine to excavate a four-mile tunnel under the Straits and remove over 400,000 cubic yards of material. Enbridge has not addressed the project’s climate impacts, and EGLE has so far declined to require a complete analysis of alternatives.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- The federal review of the tunnel’s environmental and cultural impacts is ongoing.
- A draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be available for public comment in Summer 2025. We will keep you updated on how you can make your voice heard!
Michigan Supreme Court
- March 2025: MiCAN, alongside Tribal Nations and environmental partners, has officially petitioned the Michigan Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals’ decision to uphold Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel permit. The permitting process fundamentally failed to address critical risks such as the threat of oil spills, climate consequences, and the violation of Tribal sovereignty.
- This case challenges the Michigan Public Service Commission’s failure to uphold the Michigan Environmental Protection Act and the public trust doctrine, which requires the state to safeguard natural resources for the benefit of all. This is a defining moment in our legal strategy to protect the Great Lakes, our climate, and our collective future. You can read the full filing brief here.


