Gretchen Witmer, the governor of Michigan, wants to shut down the pipeline which supplies half the fuel needs of Ontario and Quebec. Lawrence Martin writes:
This line has been in operation for 67 years without a leak into the Straits, but that doesn’t cut it with the uncompromising governor, a rising Democratic Party star. She alleges it is in ill-repair and could cause a horrific spill. She’s ignored a compromise reached by the previous governor, Republican Rick Snyder, that would see Enbridge bore an underground tunnel connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan as a replacement for the pipeline.
It serves as a reminder of where we're going. Oil is on the way out. But that doesn't mean it will be easy writing its obituary. Fortunately, Biden's energy secretary was born in British Columbia and she has a sense of what it's like to navigate relations between Canada and the United States.
Solving this problem will be difficult.
Image: cbc.ca
10 comments:
67 years is a long life for any pipeline. It doesn't help that this lakebed line transits the Strait of Mackinac or that Enbridge proved its unreliability and bad faith at the Kalamazoo River spill.
If Ottawa has a legal remedy let them take it. The feds should have invoked it when this kerfuffle began but the Libs don't do "proactive," do they?
This sounds to me like a negotiating ploy, Governor Gretchen putting heat on Enbridge, perhaps even Canada, for a better deal.
BTW, it really is time that the Globe updated LM's photo. He hasn't looked that good since before Dick Cheney became president.
Negotiating is exactly what this is all about, Mound. And you're right. Mr. Martin has been at this for a long, long time.
Would that be the same Rick Snyder who's criminally charged in the Flint water crisis? Why, yes it would. I'd take his and Enbridge's assurances of the safety of boring an oil pipeline under the Great Lakes with a few grains of salt.
Cap
Enbridge's tunnel may be a bad faith tactic to allow it to continue using the old pipeline. Permitting is going slowly, but it is easy to rig that system. They now refuse mediation even though their start date is advertised as 2021. No action so far.
Every delay is desired by Enbridge and frustrating to Michigan et al. Neverending delay could be spun into the abandonment of the big hole.
The solution is to phase out the pipeline, Cap. But getting there is a problem.
Ragging the puck is a tried and true tactic, rumley. They used to call John A. Macdonald "Old Tomorrow" because he was so good at it.
Blogger The Disaffected Lib said...
67 years is a long life for any pipeline. It doesn't help that this lakebed line transits the Strait of Mackinac or that Enbridge proved its unreliability and bad faith at the Kalamazoo River spill.
The world is full of promissory notes of faith that the would be polluters will clean up their act today, tomorrow or in the future.
A spill has not and perhaps CANNOT be cleaned up as with the BP spill in the Gulf of mexico.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill
BP was responsible for spill containment at Valdez.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Valdez
More recently we actually know the cost of clean up from the walk way wells and fracking in Alberta and BC and that in BC the cost has been taken over by the Provincial government.
As with today's Covid response, we will hand over the costs to future generations whilst we relish the protection of corporate profits.
Our offspring are doomed to servitude as they are bequeathed a debt that likely is un payable.
Sad thing is , they don't seem to mind!
TB
Somebody always picks up the tab, TB. We have come to believe that, as long as it's not us, the world is unfolding as it should.
She’s ignored a compromise reached by the previous governor, Republican Rick Snyder
This is the Rick Snyder of Flint Michigan lead (Pb) fame?
I think the governor has a good point though a bit drastic if the Canadian Gov't was taken by surprise. If not, well they may need some prodding.
I think given Enbridge's record rumleyfips' suggestion of "bad faith tactic" seems reasonable.
Running the pipeline across the river at Sarnia makes some sense especially as [snark on] a lot of the pollution ends up on Michigan's richest shores if anything goes wrong.[snark off]
The problem is the river, jrk. It's going to take quite a bit of investment to fix that problem. And getting people to invest in a dying industry is also a problem.
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