In the face of a potential oil pipeline leak under the Straits of Mackinac, a group of businesses — including Patagonia and several Michigan breweries — has formed the Great Lakes Business Network to help protect the Great Lakes and the communities that rely on its water.
The twin 63-year-old pipelines, known as Line 5, pump more than 20 million gallons of oil per day. The Great Lakes Business Network’s primary objective is decommissioning the twin pipelines.
Companies involved include: Bells Brewing; Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry; Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak; Patagonia; Lake Charlevoix Brewing Co.; Cherry Republic; National Wildlife Federation Great Lakes Regional Center; and many more.
“This is a very important issue for businesses in this state,” says Chris Shepler, owner of Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry. “My livelihood depends on clean water and a healthy Great Lakes. This pipeline threatens all of that. That’s why it’s the top topic of conversation in Northern Michigan.”
For more info, visit glbusinessnetwork.com.
