Michigan, Enbridge to battle over Line 5 oil pipeline in state court

(UI) – A U.S. appeals court ruled in favor of Michigan's attorney general, allowing her lawsuit against Enbridge to proceed in state court rather than federal court. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that Enbridge waited too long to attempt to move Attorney General Dana Nessel's 2019 lawsuit to federal court. The decision reverses a prior ruling that had favored Enbridge.

Nessel's lawsuit seeks to stop the operation of the Line 5 oil pipeline, which runs under the Straits of Mackinac in the Great Lakes, due to environmental concerns. Enbridge expressed disappointment, but remained confident in prevailing in state court.

The legal battle over Line 5, which transports 540,000 barrels of oil daily, has been ongoing, with Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer also attempting to shut down the pipeline through a separate case.

The appeals court's decision emphasizes that Enbridge could have anticipated the federal court jurisdiction from the beginning of Nessel's case, but missed the appropriate timeline to request the transfer.

This story was originally reported by Reuters.

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