Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a statement after Canada filed a letter in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan that it requested negotiations with the United States in connection with Michigan's actions with respect to Line 5.
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"I am profoundly disappointed that today the Government of Canada chose to invoke Article IX of the 1977 Transit Pipelines Treaty in a bid to help Enbridge, a private oil company, keep crude oil running indefinitely through Michigan's Straits of Mackinac," said Governor Whitmer.
"So long as oil is flowing through the pipelines, there is a very real threat of a catastrophic oil spill in the Great Lakes.
"I have made clear to Enbridge that it cannot use our state-owned lakebed for these pipelines, but Enbridge has refused to stop. Moreover, rather than taking steps to diversify energy supply and ensure resilience, Canada has channeled its efforts into defending an oil company with an abysmal environmental track record."
"Michigan is, and will remain, a strong partner with Canada on a range of issues," continued Whitmer.
"However, I will not remain silent when the fate of the Great Lakes and Michigan hangs in the balance. I had expected that Canada, a nation that prides itself on its commitment to environmental protection, would share my interest in protecting the Great Lakes.
"Instead, the Government of Canada has chosen to do the bidding of the very oil company responsible for the 2010 Kalamazoo River Oil Spill - one of the largest inland oil spills in the history of the nation that happened right here in Michigan.
"At the same time, Canada is proposing to store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin, adding even more risk to our waters. I remain confident that Michigan will prevail in its legal efforts with respect to Line 5, regardless of today's action, and I will continue to fight to get the pipelines out of the water. I call on Prime Minister Trudeau to reverse his decision."
The Great Lakes are home to 21% of the world's fresh surface water. The lakes supply drinking water for 48 million people, including 5 million here in Michigan, and support 1.3 million jobs that generate $82 billion in wages annually across the United States.
In Michigan, the Great Lakes support over 350,000 jobs. The Line 5 pipeline is a ticking time bomb that could lead to an oil spill in the Great Lakes, which would put families and small businesses across the region at risk. ■