A Rally for the Great Lakes! Enbridge Straits of Mackinac Pipelines Post Extreme Risk to Great Lakes

More than 400 people rallied on Sunday in St. Ignace, Mich., to urge the state’s public officials to protect the Great Lakes from a potential oil spill disaster. The National Wildlife Federation joined conservation, tribal and citizens organizations in asking for a 60-year-old pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac to be replaced. The pipeline, submerged in the waters where  Lakes Michigan and Huron meet, pumps more than 20 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas fluids every day through pipelines operated by Enbridge Energy—the Canadian company responsible for the worst inland oil disaster in U.S. history.

This rally should be a wakeup call to our elected leaders that people are demanding a change in the way we view energy and energy consumption. Increasing the pressure on a 60 year old tar sands pipeline, which runs under the Straits of Mackinac, is nowhere near the direction our state, our region or the U.S. should be heading in. Our leaders need to demand Enbridge replace a 60 year old pipeline and ensure that Tar Sands will never run through our Great Lakes.

Beth Wallace, with NWF's Great Lakes office, speaks about the history of failures on the Lakehead system and the Sunken Hazard report.
Beth Wallace, with NWF’s Great Lakes office, speaks about the history of failures on the Lakehead system and the Sunken Hazard report.
Cecil Pavlat, with the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, opens the Rally
Cecil Pavlat, with the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, opens the Rally
Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians opens the Rally
Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians opens the Rally
Hundreds of citizens concerned about the risks a 60-year-old oil pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac poses to the Great Lakes rally at Bridge View State Park at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge on Sunday, July 14
Hundreds of citizens concerned about the risks a 60-year-old oil pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac poses to the Great Lakes rally at Bridge View State Park at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge on Sunday, July 14
Enbridge plans to increase pressure and flow on 60 year old pipelines running through the Straits of Mackinac - the heart of the Great Lakes
Enbridge plans to increase pressure and flow on 60 year old pipelines running through the Straits of Mackinac – the heart of the Great Lakes
Over 400 people, from all walks of life, rally to demand that lawmakers require that Enbridge replace a 60 year old tar sands pipeline at the Straits of Mackinac and to never allow tar sands to flow through the Great Lakes.
Over 400 people, from all walks of life, rally to demand that lawmakers require that Enbridge replace a 60 year old tar sands pipeline at the Straits of Mackinac and to never allow tar sands to flow through the Great Lakes.