Fifteen members of Congress, including five Republicans from Michigan, are asking President Joe Biden to support the Line 5 oil pipeline.
During his first days in office, President Biden revoked a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, stopping its construction.
This week, U.S. Representatives Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet), Lisa McClain (R-Bruce Twp.), Tim Walberg (R-Tipton), Peter Meijer (R-Grand Rapids) and Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) signed a letter on Michigan’s most controversial pipeline.In it they urge President Biden to stay away from Line 5, saying its shutdown would be catastrophic to the energy needs and economy of the region.
“The reduced fuel supply from shutting down Line 5 would permanently shutter refineries in Ohio and Michigan, resulting in the loss of billions of dollars in annual economic output,” the lawmakers wrote.
Tribal nations and environmental groups dispute those claims, and say the risk of an oil spill in the Great Lakes is too high to keep the pipeline running.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has given Enbridge, the company behind the pipeline, until May 12 to shut it down. The company is currently fighting the shutdown in court.
Editor's note: Enbridge is one of Michigan Radio's corporate sponsors.
