logo
Brief Publisher Logo
FACT BRIEF

Did Enbridge Energy wait a year before reporting a pipeline leak in Wisconsin?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
View this fact brief on Wisconsin Watch
Copy link
email
Copy featured image
email
YES

The Canadian oil company Enbridge Energy reported to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources a leak of Line 13 — a pipeline of chemicals used to dilute petroleum— near Fort Atkinson in July 2020. That was more than a year after the company first discovered it.

The department issued a letter of violation to the company for delayed reporting of the 1,200-gallon spill. 

Enbridge officials claimed the delay resulted from a miscalculation regarding the size of the leak, with the initial amount small enough to forgo reporting.

A 2014 Canadian documentary alleged Enbridge had a history of unreported spills in Canada. Michigan officials criticized the company in 2017 for failing to report damage to an underwater pipeline in the area connecting lakes Michigan and Huron. And in 2022, Minnesota officials said the company failed to reveal the volume of drilling fluid used on a pipeline construction project.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 'I can't trust them anymore': Residents of Fort Atkinson shocked that 2019 petroleum spill by Enbridge went unreported for over a year
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel DNR says Enbridge violated law when it waited more than a year to report 2019 spill near Fort Atkinson
Fort Atkinson Online Residents express frustration over Enbridge’s handling of Jefferson County spill
Toronto Star Enbridge Line 9: W5 uncovers unreported spills, alarming communities along 830-km pipe
S&P Global Underwater photos show missing coating on Enbridge liquids pipe in Great Lakes
Minnesota Public Radio News Minn. lawmaker demands data on Line 3 frac-outs
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
FACT BRIEF BY
Brief Publisher Logo
Latest fact briefs from Wisconsin Watch
facebook
twitter
email
email
About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.