A state court on Friday partially paused construction on Enbridge’s project to reroute its Line 5 pipeline around the Bad River Reservation in Wisconsin.
The decision is a partial victory for the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, which opposed the state’s water permits for the reroute. Enbridge is working to replace a 12-mile section of Line 5 that moves through the reservation with 41 miles of pipeline that will go around it.
Iron County Circuit Court Judge John Anderson rejected most of the claims raised by the tribe and environmental groups, which argue the reroute would irreparably harm the wetlands and waterways in its path. But he found that certain work on the pipeline at some waterways should be put on hold until Enbridge obtains additional permits under Wisconsin law.
“Construction at or near those sites are stayed until further order of the Court,” Anderson said in a Friday order. “Otherwise, the remaining permits and authority to act on those permits are unaffected and the request to stay those portions is denied.”
