May 19, 2026.
Public notice period will run from
May 19, 2026 through June 30, 2026
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced today that it has opened public comment for Enbridge Energy’s draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit seeking authorization to discharge treated wastewater associated with the construction and operation of the proposed Line 5 tunnel project under the Straits of Mackinac.
This draft NPDES permit was prepared in compliance with the provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C., Section 1251 et seq., as amended); Part 31, Water Resources Protection, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended (NREPA). A public notice was published on May 19, 2026, for the proposed re-issuance of the NPDES permit.
Due to the substantial public interest in the proposed permit re-issuance, the public notice period will run from May 19, 2026, through June 30, 2026.
A virtual public meeting and public hearing will be held on June 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. EST to seek public input on the proposed permit.
The public can register to participate in the June 18, 2026, public meeting and public hearing here: Line 5 Permit Meeting
The public meeting will start with a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. After the public meeting, the public will have an opportunity to provide comments on the proposed permit during the public hearing, where comments will be received for the record. Additional comments will be accepted online through June 30, 2026.
Copies of the permit application, public notice, fact sheet, basis for decision memo, and draft permit are available for review at: Public Notice - Details - MiEnviro Portal
The public can comment on EGLE’s public notice webpage linked here, click ‘Add Comment,’ enter information into the fields, and then click ‘Submit.’
If constructed, the tunnel would house a proposed replacement for the more than 70-year-old Line 5 dual-product pipelines currently lying on the lake-bed. Its to be expected based on previous meetings that the Pro Enbridge Side will be more organized and have more public comments during the June 18 Meeting.
Enbridge's defeat in Michigan Supreme Court earlier this year and the State of Michigan's opposition to this project means the project is far from approved.
Editorial Comment - It appears the opposing parties egos and need to be right puts the Straights of Mackinac at risk for an Environmental Disaster because of the age of the current pipeline. If that happens all parties involved in this dispute that refuse to compromise will be to blame. "In Our View."
