Construction starts on Enbridge Line 5 reroute

Construction is now underway on Enbridge’s Line 5 relocation project in northern Wisconsin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the final federal permit last Tuesday, clearing the last major hurdle for the project.

The new 41-mile segment will move the pipeline around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation. About 12 miles of the existing Line 5 currently cross the reservation near Lake Superior.

The Bad River Band first sued Enbridge in 2019, alleging that easements authorizing the line’s operation had expired. In 2023, a federal judge ordered Enbridge to remove that section by June 2026. That ruling is now under appeal.

State permits were issued in 2024 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and an administrative law judge upheld them last month.

In her decision, Administrative Law Judge Angela Chaput Foy wrote the DNR met state standards when issuing the wetland and waterway permit, stormwater permit, and water quality certification for the Line 5 reroute

She also wrote that the Bad River Band and environmental groups did not provide evidence that the project would violate state water quality standards or require additional data.

In a statement, Enbridge says crews will employ more than 700 union workers and expects to spend millions on construction-related projects in Ashland, Bayfield, and Iron counties. The company adds Line 5 supplies crude oil and propane to 10 refineries, serving millions across the Midwest and Great Lakes region.

The Bad River Band and environmental groups argue the new route would cross roughly 185 waterways and impact more than 100 acres of wetlands. They say those wetlands are critical to wild rice beds, fish habitat, and the broader Lake Superior watershed.

The Bad River Band has filed a petition with Wisconsin’s Iron County Circuit Court to review the administrative law judge’s decision upholding the state permits for the reroute. Environmental groups have filed similar petitions. Judges have not yet ruled on any of the requests.