9 & 10 News
May 12, 2021
With the utility tunnel set to replace the Line 5 pipeline still two-to-four years away from completion, many lawmakers and advocates are confused why Line 5 is being shut down now.
According to a shutdown order put forth by Governor Gretchen Whitmer back in November, the Line 5 oil pipeline running under the Mackinac Straits must cease operation at midnight Wednesday night.
“You can’t just shut it down,” said Representative Jack O’Malley, “Look what happened with the Colonial pipeline.”
Skyrocketing utility prices, gas and oil shortages. That’s what Republicans say will happen across the state if Enbridge is forced to shut down the Line 5 pipeline without a reasonable replacement.
gneese@mininggazette.com
HOUGHTON Local and downstate lawmakers visited sites damaged in the 2018 floods last month as part of an effort to encourage the Department of Natural Resources and the state legislature to provide more funds to restore trails.
State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, and Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Hancock, organized the event.
“I thank Chairman Ed McBroom and Rep. Markkanen for bringing some pretty heavy hitters up to take a look at the properties we have here that unfortunately we still have not addressed,” Commissioner Glenn Anderson said.
Also in attendance were state Sens. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, and Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo, both members of the Senate’s Natural Resources Committee. From the House sides were state Reps. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs and Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer doesn’t back down from fight to force Enbridge Line 5 shutdown
Updated May 12, 2021;
Michigan is facing mounting opposition to its efforts to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline, but the governor is showing no signs of surrender.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the eve of the the shutdown deadline issued a letter to Enbridge Vice President Vern Yu. In it, she wrote that she’s confident the state will prevail in court and intends to pursue any profits Enbridge earns from illegal use of the Michigan land beneath the Straits of Mackinac after May 12.
That could equate $1.8 million per day, based on estimates previously provided by Enbridge.
LANSING, MI State Reps. Beau LaFave, Sara Cambensy, John Damoose, and Greg Markkanen, along with State Sens. Ed McBroom and Wayne Schmidt on Friday responded to a TV 6 report stating the governor had included them in her reopening metrics.
TV 6 on Thursday reported that “the governor’s office says all four U.P. lawmakers were part of the discussion” on her “Vacc to Normal” plan, but that is not true. None of the six Upper Peninsula legislators were given the opportunity to contribute input to the governor’s plan and had no knowledge of it prior to the press conference. They have responded in a joint press release.
Grand Rapids Business Journal
Public-private effort is intended to spark ‘recycling and recovery’ economy with $97M investment, including $4.9M in grants.
Courtesy Schupan Recycling
Leaders of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and several public and private stakeholders convened in April to unveil a collaborative effort to spark a “recycling and recovery” economy in the state.
In a virtual presentation April 19, EGLE joined with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, bipartisan lawmakers and Meijer to announce NextCycle Michigan, an initiative designed to spark an economic recovery through recycling activities.
EGLE said that as part of NextCycle Michigan, already in 2020 and 2021, $97 million has been committed to recycling projects through partners that, in addition to Meijer, include Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, GFL Environmental in Southfield, Carton Council of North America, Goodwill Industries, Keurig Dr Pepper, Foodservice Pa