A Great Lakes Oil Spill Waiting to Happen

Operated by Canadian oil giant Enbridge, Line 5 is an underwater pipeline running beneath the Mackinac Straits, which connect Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. A rupture in the aging pipes could mean catastrophe.

2 minute read

July 5, 2016, 7:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline

Maureen / Flickr

The oil firm Enbridge already has a history of oil spills in the Great Lakes region. Jimmy Tobias writes, "The worst occurred along Michigan’s Kalamazoo River in 2010, when the company's Line 6b pipeline burst one summer day and sent 843,000 gallons of dirty diluted bitumen gurgling downstream for 39 miles. The clean-up cost was estimated at $1.2 billion. Later that year, an Enbridge pipeline leaked 250,000-gallons of crude in a suburb of Chicago."

Enbridge's Line 5, a pair of underwater pipelines constructed in 1953, lies under the Mackinac Straits, in the center of one of the most important fresh water systems in the country. This inconvenient truth has diverse regional interests questioning whether the pipeline is worth the potential trouble. 

The research perspective isn't promising. "The Mackinac Straits are the 'worst possible place for an oil spill in the Great Lakes,' according to Dave Schwab, a research scientist at the University of Michigan Water Center." According to a report authored by Schwab, "approximately 700 miles of shoreline in Lake Michigan and Huron are vulnerable to being sullied by a 25,000-barrel spill, though no single incident would impact such a vast area." 

Unlike most oil pipelines, which operate under federal regulation, Line 5 depends on an easement sanctioned by the state of Michigan. Regional nonprofits, business interests, and municipalities are united in a push for revocation, while Enbridge reps insist on the line's continued safety. 

Thursday, June 2, 2016 in Pacific Standard

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA