Judge weighs permit challenge to Enbridge’s $450 million Line 5 reroute
An administrative law judge is reviewing challenges to state permits for Enbridge’s $450 million Line 5 pipeline reroute, a 41-mile project designed to move the line around the Bad River tribe’s reservation in northern Wisconsin.
According to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approved wetland, waterway, and stormwater permits in 2023, but the Bad River tribe and environmental groups argue the agency failed to fully account for risks to waterways, wetlands, and cultural resources. Testimony in recent weeks highlighted concerns over blasting impacts on groundwater, sediment runoff, and wild rice beds, while Enbridge experts maintained environmental impacts would be minimal and restoration plans are in place, WPR reported.
The project would cross nearly 200 waterways and temporarily affect more than 100 acres of wetlands. Enbridge says the reroute is needed to comply with a 2026 federal court order requiring the removal of Line 5 from expired easements on tribal lands. The company projects $135 million in economic impact and 700 union jobs from construction, while opponents cite past spills and aquifer breaches tied to Enbridge pipelines.
A decision on the contested permits is expected later this year and could be appealed by either side. Federal approval will also be required before construction can begin.
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