ANN ARBOR (WKZO-AM) — A new study by the University of Michigan says over 700 miles of Great Lakes shoreline are vulnerable if Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline were to leak.
Mike Shriberg with the National Wildlife Federation says 17,000 miles of open water would be affected.
“Just to give you a sense of perspective, that’s more than Lake Erie and Lake Ontario combined,” Shriberg said. “Of course, this would be in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
He said the waters at the Straits of Mackinac are unpredictable yet strong, which will push crude far and fast.
“It’ll go all the way down to the thumb, and, on the Lake Michigan side, all the way down to Sleeping Bear Dunes and just about across the Wisconsin border” Shriberg said. “So, following pretty much the whole coastline of the upper peninsula.”
Enbridge has panned the study, telling the Detroit Free Press researchers focused on an unrealistic volume of crude being released.
