A new documentary on Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 and the pipeline’s potential impact on the environment is now available online. The 28-minute long film, titled “Great Lakes, Bad Lines,” follows two Grand Rapids, Michigan natives on a 500-mile fossil fuel-free trek along the line. Along the way, the duo interviews locals and experts about the potentially devastating impact a spill could have on Great Lakes ecosystems and livelihoods.
Built in 1953, the Enbridge Line 5 carries oil from Wisconsin through Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac to Canada. The pipeline was originally built to operate for only 50 years, and divers have found broken supports along the line. The Coast Guard has also said they would be unable to respond effectively to an open water oil spill in the heart of the Great Lakes. Enbridge representatives say the pipeline is safe, and that the company has invested millions in equipment and new supports. However, Enbridge’s assurances about Line 5 are overshadowed by the energy company’s track record: Enbridge is responsible for the 2010 spill in Kalamazoo, the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history.
The film is featured on the Patagonia The Cleanest Line website, and is supported by a variety of Midwestern companies, such as Moosejaw and Founders Brewing Company.
To sign a letter to the Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board asking them to take action, you can visit this link.
You can also watch the full documentary at vimeo.com/180350618.
“Great Lakes, Bad Lines” Trailer from Colin McCarthy on Vimeo.
