by: Courtney Remacle
Earlier this week, the National Wildlife Federation released footage of the Straits of Mackinac oil pipelines.This is the first time footage of this kind has ever been released to the public. The Straits of Mackinac are located between Upper and Lower Michigan and connect Lakes Michigan and Huron. Enbridge energy currently owns these pipelines and uses them to transport crude oil, some of which comes from tar sands. The pipelines are 60 years old and concerns have been raised about their integrity by residents living near the Straits of Mackinac due to Enbridge’s plans to increase the usage of these pipelines. Currently, the pipeline carries 490,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Enbridge’s planned upgrade would allow the pipeline to carry up to 540,000 barrels per day.
The footage obtained by the NWF is shocking. Broken supports can be seen along the pipeline, and in numerous places the pipes are covered with piles of debris. Should the pipeline burst, the resulting oil spill would be catastrophic and threaten the entire Great Lakes region, the world’s largest source of fresh water.
Video footage of the pipeline can be seen here:
Enbridge does not have a good environmental track record. They were responsible for the Kalamazoo River oil spill in 2010, the worst inland oil spill in history. As of August, Enbridge had begun preparations for dredging the part of the Kalamazoo River affected by the spill. Research by the NWF found reports of 80 spills in Enbridge’s pipeline system in the last 10 years.
You can read more about the Straits of Mackinac pipeline here and here.