Eastern Wayne Today

State Rep. Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell) praised Enbridge for taking the next steps to begin construction of the Line 5 Tunnel by hiring two companies for the job.

“The agreement reached between state leaders and Enbridge will better protect the Great Lakes Basin and vastly improve the delivery of needed energy and communications services,” Wentworth said in a March 10 press release. “What makes this entire process even better is that Enbridge is footing the bill – 100%. The company is paying the full $500 million tab, so Michigan’s hardworking taxpayers don’t lose out at all.”

Environmentalists who oppose the process continue to disrupt the multi-use tunnel although it is the most common-sense solution for the local economy and the Great Lakes, Wentworth said in the press release. 

“The multi-use utility tunnel will be 100 feet into the bedrock beneath the Straits of Mackinac and will be the safest and best compromise to replace the aging pipeline currently resting on the lake floor, “ Wentworth said in the press release. “It is the safest and most reliable way to deliver energy, including propane, electricity and broadband, throughout the state.

Many Northern Michigan families and businesses depend on the Line 5 Tunnel for the propane that heats their residences and the construction of the new tunnel will further protect the state’s water for many years to come, Wentworth said in the press release. 

"The cost of propane would increase dramatically for our families," Wentworth said in the release. "We cannot afford to simply shut down the line without a contingency plan in place. Allowing this brand-new tunnel with additional safety measures, while continuing to deliver crucial resources, is what all of our communities need.”