The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Michigan's lawsuit seeking to shut down part of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline must remain in state court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for a unanimous court that Enbridge waited too long to try to move the case to federal court, according to CBS News. The ruling allows Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to continue her case against the aging pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac.
Key Takeaways
The Supreme Court ruled that Michigan's lawsuit to shut down part of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline must remain in state court. The unanimous decision found Enbridge waited too long to move the case to federal court.
- Supreme Court rules for Michigan, keeping Line 5 case in state court
- Unanimous decision written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
- Case involves a section of pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac
- Concerns over potential oil spills and environmental damage have grown since 2017
The Line 5 pipeline has been operating since 1953, transporting crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario. Concerns over its safety have intensified in recent years due to gaps in its protective coating and a boat anchor strike in 2018 that damaged the section beneath the straits.
Enbridge has argued that federal regulators are responsible for Line 5's safety and have found no issues warranting its shutdown. The company is seeking permits to encase the pipeline section in a protective tunnel, but environmental groups and Michigan tribes have filed lawsuits against this plan. The state Supreme Court is currently weighing these cases.
The ruling comes amid broader legal disputes involving Line 5. In Wisconsin, Enbridge has been ordered by a federal judge to shut down part of the pipeline that runs across the Bad River Band's reservation within three years. The company has appealed this decision and started work on rerouting the line around the reservation.
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