Supreme Court Backs Michigan Keeping Line 5 Shutdown Lawsuit In State Court
The Supreme Court ruled that Michigan can keep its lawsuit in state court seeking to shut down the Line 5 pipeline. The dispute centers on Line 5, a decades-old pipeline that runs under the Straits of Mackinac and carries oil and natural gas liquids. Michigan says the aging pipeline threatens the Great Lakes and wants to close it to prevent a spill.
The high court's decision leaves the dispute in state courts rather than sending it to federal court, preserving Michigan's ability to press state law claims. That outcome could shape how states challenge pipelines and other infrastructure they say endangers local environments and economies.
Environmental groups hailed the ruling as a victory for Great Lakes protection, while industry and some officials warned of energy and jobs risks if the line is closed. Early reporting stressed technical legal fights over federal rights and easements, but recent coverage has shifted toward state authority and environmental danger, reflecting growing public concern.
📌 Key Facts
- Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion by Justice Sonia Sotomayor holding Enbridge missed the 30-day deadline to remove Michigan’s Line 5 case to federal court.
- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s 2019 state suit seeks to void the easement for a 4.5-mile Line 5 segment under the Straits of Mackinac.
- The decision preserves state-court jurisdiction while other fights continue over Whitmer’s easement revocation, a proposed tunnel project, and a separate Wisconsin order to shut a Line 5 segment on tribal land.
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