Spring flooding in northern Wisconsin is again creating a major risk to the 70-year-old Enbridge Line 5 tar sands oil pipeline that crosses the Bad River near Odanah and is threatening the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian Reservation, their sacred lands and their way of life.
During the 2016 extreme rain event, the banks of the Bad River eroded dramatically. In April of 2023 snow melt, spring rains eroded the banks 10 more feet. The pipeline, which is designed to be underground, is now close to being exposed to rushing waters, uprooted trees and debris.
There is heightened concern that this could cause the pipeline to rupture and spill 1 million gallons of bitumen light crude oil into the Bad River, the Kakagon Sloughs (an exceptional wetland that supports wild rice production) and into Lake Superior, one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world.
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Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter supports the Bad River Band’s request for an emergency shutdown of Line 5. It appears Enbridge will not comply with this request. We can only hope the decisionmakers will order a shutdown of Line 5 and avoid this impending disaster.
Gail Syverud, Ashland, Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter
