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The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians stands in solidarity with fellow Tribal Nations following Michigan's approval of a key set of permits for Enbridge's proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

The Sault Tribe will continue supporting the Bay Mills Indian Community, alongside Earthjustice, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), and Tribal Nations across Michigan as they oppose the tunnel project before the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other authorities.

“Today’s decision by the State of Michigan is incredibly disheartening and fails Tribal communities and all those that value our Great Lakes. Since time immemorial, the Straits of Mackinac have been sacred to Tribal Nations across the region. The Sault Tribe, along with our partners, is deeply disappointed by EGLE and the DNR’s decisions to approve permits for Enbridge,” said Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes. “The Straits, and all the Great Lakes, deserve the highest level of protection from the State of Michigan. The decision to allow Enbridge to industrialize this sacred place demonstrates a disregard for our environment, our treaty rights, and Tribal sovereignty.”

Enbridge’s plan would transform the Straits of Mackinac into an industrial construction zone for at least six years, destroying views, displacing endangered wildlife, and interrupting tourism dollars. Experts warn that running a hazardous liquids pipeline through a confined underground tunnel is dangerous and untested.

In June, Enbridge released drilling fluid into a prized Wisconsin wetland while constructing a separate section of Line 5 that’s being challenged by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and environmental groups. The company is responsible for spilling more than one million gallons into the Kalamazoo River in 2010.

“The Straits of Mackinac are not a piece of Enbridge oil infrastructure; they are the heart of creation for Anishinaabe people and a vital source of life for all who depend on the Great Lakes,” said NARF Managing Attorney David Gover. “We will pursue every legal avenue to defend treaty rights, protect drinking water, and preserve tribal lifeways from another Enbridge disaster.”

In the coming weeks, Michigan’s Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to overturn a separate state permit for the tunnel in a challenge brought by four Tribal Nations, including Bay Mills, and two environmental groups. Enbridge cannot begin construction until it has secured further needed permits from state agencies and from the US Army Corps of Engineers.

“Our environmental laws, the looming climate crisis, and simple common sense tells us that an oil pipeline doesn’t belong in the Great Lakes,” said Earthjustice Managing Attorney Debbie Chizewer. “Today’s decision is a setback, but we’re not giving up. A future without oil in the Great Lakes is still possible.”

“While today’s decision from state regulators represents a setback in our opposition to Enbridge’s Line 5, we are not giving up hope that we can overcome this decision and continue to protect the Great Lakes,” added Sault Tribe Chairman Lowes. “Throughout this process, we have been proud of our allies from across the region. Bay Mills Indian Community has shown tremendous leadership in opposing Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel, and we are proud to stand alongside them. The Sault Tribe will continue to stand alongside our neighbors and Tribal Nations across the region to protect the Straits for future generations.”