Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
Does the Line 5 pipeline that crosses through Wisconsin provide oil only to Canada?
Line 5 carries oil and and natural gas liquids from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, serving oil refineries in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario and Quebec, according to Enbridge, the owner.
The natural gas liquids carried by the pipeline are refined and supply 55% of Michigan’s statewide propane needs, the Canadian company says.
The most recent estimate by the Michigan Public Service Commission, in 2020, said one production facility, Rapid River, receives all of its natural gas liquids from Line 5 and provides 87.6% of the Upper Peninsula’s propane demand.
On Dec. 1, 2023, Enbridge won commission approval to build a tunnel underneath the Straits of Mackinac to replace part of Line 5.
In Wisconsin, Line 5 crosses through 12 miles of the Bad River Reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Enbridge is proposing a relocation around the reservation within Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Enbridge Line 5
- Enbridge About Line 5
- State of Michigan Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force Committee Recommendations
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Michigan Public Service Commission approves Enbridge Line 5 permit for tunnel under Straits of Mackinac
- Wisconsin DNR Enbridge Pipeline Projects in Wisconsin
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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.
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