Michigan, Enbridge Agree On New Pipeline in a Tunnel

摘要

The state of Michigan has approved a deal with Enbridge to build a new oil pipeline through the Straits of Mackinac. Replacing a section that currently lies exposed to underwater elements, the proposed pipeline will be built in a tunnel 100 ft below the floor of the strait where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron connect. The complex project, estimated to cost between $300 million and $650 million, is predicted to take seven to 10 years to develop and construct, says Enbridge, a Canadian oil transportation specialist. State officials emphasized that Enbridge, not Michigan taxpayers, would pay for construction. Enbridge pledged not only to replace the existing 65-year-old Line 5 oil and liquid natural gas pipeline, but also to add a utility corridor and tunnel that could include power lines, fiberoptic telecommunications cables and similar infrastructure. Initial plans call for a tunnel large enough for vehicles to drive through, allowing for maintenance and inspection.