The Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit needed for a planned reroute of the Line 5 oil pipeline in northern Wisconsin this week, sparking renewed pushback against the project.
The Army Corps’ St. Paul District said the Wednesday approval to help Canada-based Enbridge go around a reservation supports President Donald Trump’s “energy dominance agenda for America.” The permit is for effects to U.S. waters that result from construction of the project.
“This permit decision demonstrates the Corps of Engineers’ role in ensuring a balanced approach to infrastructure development and environmental regulation consistent with statutory direction,” Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, said in a news release.
Enbridge’s project seeks to replace an existing section of Line 5 that crosses through the Bad River Reservation with roughly 41 miles of pipeline that would loop around the reservation. The project’s cost estimate is $450 million, according to Enbridge.
