Enbridge Halts Line 5 Work After Wisconsin Pipeline Leak

The energy company Enbridge Inc. has temporarily halted work on its $1 billion Line 5 pipeline reroute project in Iron County, Wisconsin, following a significant leak near Saxon. The incident occurred on August 25 when an unoccupied subcontractor semi-truck rolled into an open excavation site and struck the pipeline. Enbridge estimates that approximately 1.3 million gallons of natural gas liquids, primarily propane and butane, vaporized into the atmosphere.

In response, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources requested a work stoppage to ensure the leak is resolved and safety measures are improved. Enbridge initiated a 48-hour project-wide safety stand-down starting August 31 to review safety practices and identify opportunities to enhance its safety culture. The company is currently using nitrogen and flare stacks to burn off roughly 84,000 gallons of remaining liquids and aims to restore pipeline service by September 5.

While air monitoring by the Ashland Fire Department and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa showed levels below harmful thresholds, a half-mile evacuation zone remains in place. The United States Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is leading the on-site response and controlling access to the area.

These operational halts coincide with broader legal challenges to the Line 5 project. The Michigan Supreme Court recently ordered the Michigan Public Service Commission to redo a permit for a proposed concrete tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac, citing a failure to properly consider environmental impacts. Governor Gretchen Whitmer continues to legally challenge the pumping of oil through the Great Lakes.