Michigan Seeks Public Comment on Enbridge’s Line 5 Tunnel Project

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is inviting public input on two permit applications from Enbridge related to its proposal to construct a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel would house a replacement for the existing Line 5 dual pipelines, which currently transport oil and natural gas across the Great Lakes.

The project includes building tunnel portals near Point LaBarbe in Mackinac County and McGulpin Point in Emmet County, impacting approximately 1.7 acres of wetlands. Plans also call for intake structures and anchoring systems beneath Lake Michigan to support the new infrastructure.

Line 5 has been a source of ongoing legal and environmental debate, with concerns about potential oil spills in the Great Lakes. Despite legal challenges, Enbridge continues to seek state and federal approvals for the tunnel project. In May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released an environmental impact study on the proposal.

The public comment period runs from July 16 through August 29, 2025. EGLE will also host two virtual sessions:

For more details and to submit comments, visit the EGLE public participation portal.