US Supreme Court sides with Michigan in pipeline shutdown legal battle
The US Supreme Court has ruled that Michigan's lawsuit to shut down a section of the aging Line 5 pipeline will remain in state court, rejecting the energy company's attempt to move the case to federal jurisdiction.
The unanimous decision, authored by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, found that the energy company missed the deadline to transfer the case to federal court.
Michigan's attorney general sued in state court in June 2019 to void the easement allowing operation of a 4.5-mile section of the pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
The pipeline, operated by Enbridge, has transported crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, since 1953.
Concerns about the pipeline's safety have grown since 2017, after it was revealed that gaps in the protective coating had been known since 2014 and that a boat anchor damaged the pipeline in 2018.
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources revoked the easement in 2020, prompting Enbridge to file a separate federal lawsuit challenging the revocation.
The Supreme Court's ruling supports Michigan's efforts to regulate the pipeline through state courts, reinforcing state authority over environmental and safety concerns related to aging energy infrastructure.
This decision follows a 2024 appeals court ruling that also sent the case back to state court due to procedural issues.
No immediate disruptions or casualties have been reported following the ruling.
Michigan officials, including Attorney General Dana Nessel and Governor Gretchen Whitmer, have emphasized the importance of protecting the Great Lakes environment.
The case remains part of a broader legal dispute involving federal and state jurisdiction over pipeline regulation and environmental protection.
Enbridge continues to operate the pipeline under safety requirements while legal proceedings continue.
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