Pipelines: Our Work

A Glimpse of Our Work in 2016
As we see continued growth in oil production in North America, there will be more and more pressure to transport oil across Great Lakes waters and the State of Michigan. No method of transporting petroleum products can ever be completely safe and transporting greater volumes of oil will only serve to increase the risk to the Great Lakes ecosystem. We are working toward a day when no crude oil is transported in, on, or under the Great Lakes. Until that day comes, the Watershed Council will continue to work on a variety of fronts, including prevention measures, emergency response preparedness, education and outreach, and policy changes.
​Representation on:
Policy Initiatives:
  • Assisted municipalities develop factually accurate and comprehensive resolution regarding Line 5 and oil transportation in the Great Lakes​
  • Helped to secured Great Lake provisions in the PHMSA reauthorization, including increasing inspection frequencies for Line 5​
  • Advocacy to improve state and federal laws regulation pipeline safety
Policy Analysis of:
  • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) proposed rule for safety of Hazardous Liquids Pipelines
  • Proposed Consent Decree for the Line 6B spill in Marshall, Michigan
  • Enbridge’s permit application for support anchors in the Straits of Mackinac​
  • Scoping and work plan for the Alternatives Analysis and Risk Analysis for Straits pipeline
Education and Outreach
Improved Information
  • Discovered “holidays” (“areas of the pipeline where there is a loss of coating around the pipe”)
  • Pipeline sensitivity mapping to identify areas most at risk
  • Work directly with Enbridge and state and federal governments to improve transparency and public engagement​
  • ​Working to obtain a water crossing study