URGENT: Construction on the Wisconsin Line 5 Reroute has Begun
ASHLAND, WI — The Line 5 reroute is a 41 mile segment of oil pipeline around Mashkiiziibii (Bad River Reservation). Michels Corporation is the lead contractor for construction with offices in Wausau, Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit.
After years of legal proceedings and an appeals process, Enbridge Energy has acquired all of its permits and a greenlight to commence construction. Local organizers are seeking solidarity in resistance efforts. If you can offer support in legal representation (civil and criminal lawsuits), media and art making, press coverage, creative direct action, resistance camp building, violation monitoring, community resiliency work, or other diverse tactics, now is the time! Get in touch with local organizers, or plan an action in your city.
Keep your eyes on watchline5.com for updates on the struggle or to submit & view updates on construction and violations.
LINE 5 REROUTE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE
March 1-May 1
Seasonal roadway weight restrictions go into effect in Wisconsin –> Enbridge will work on logging the 497 acres that need to be deforested using chain saws and do any other work they can without bringing heavy machinery onto the state highways for these two months. See below for more information on the weight restriction regulations:
https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/com-drv-vehs/mtr-car-trkr/ssnl-wt-rsrctns/class2roads.aspx
March 20 @ 9 AM, legal hearing – Public can attend at the following locations:
Washburn Circuit Court – 117 E 5th St, Washburn, WI
Iron County Circuit Court – 300 Taconite St # 101, Hurley, WI
Hearing for Bad River Band’s requested stay on construction related to the easement areas covered by the DNR permits. If the Judge orders a stay on construction in this hearing, Enbridge will have to halt construction, if a stay is not ordered Enbridge will be able to proceed with construction. Media must request to take pictures or video in advance, there will be no public zoom option.
Early April:
Enbridge will sign contracts with heavy machinery companies to lease heavy equipment for May (as long as judge Anderson does not order a stay on construction in the March 20th hearing).
Mid April-Mid August:
Bird and bat breeding occurs and causes various state-wide restrictions on tree cutting. Enbridge cannot legally perform tree cutting during this period.
May 1:
At this point the seasonal roadway restrictions will lift and Enbridge will start grading, blasting and trenching — this will likely continue for at least a few months or until the re-route is completed.
June 16:
Court ordered date that oil must stop flowing through the current Line 5 pipeline running through the Bad River reservation. The DNR attorney noted that the re-route will not be finished by this date and that every day it takes to build the re-route past June 16th will be days, where oil will not be able to flow through Line 5.
***Note: The information in the timeline below was presented by DNR and Enbridge attorneys in a recent court hearing. Please take it with a grain of salt as these entities do not always follow the plans that they present in court!