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The US Army Corps of Engineers is trying to speed up the approval process for the Straits of Mackinac Tunnel Process, which would see the tunnel built to house the Line Five oil and gas pipeline.
This comes after President Trump declared a national energy emergency on his Inauguration Day. At a news conference on Wednesday, District Regulatory Branch Chief Shane McCoy said it may be speeding up, but they’re not ignoring proper procedures.
“We have full confidence that we will be making a decision on the best information available,” McCoy said. “Identification of the best benefits, and potential detriments of the project, via the public’s input. The process will lead to a legally-defensible, and a very well-informed decision.”
“The thoroughness that’s gone into the collection of the information that’s needed to form a decision is now actually to the point where they can actually synthesize it, and through public feedback, help us make a final decision,” Lt. Col. Wallace Bandeff added, saying that the public should see a proposal by June that it can give comments on.
The tunnel project, though, is controversial, with many environmental groups opposed, along with many Native American tribes. Of 40 tribes that the Army Corps reached out to, Regulatory Project Manager Katie Otanez says that 20 were involved in one way or another. Recently, seven Upper Peninsula tribes decided to stop participating with the process.
The updated public notice:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District is currently working to establish an updated timeline for its permit review under the emergency procedures. The Detroit District is coordinating with the applicant and will coordinate with the Council on Environmental Quality to assist in establishing the review timeline.
Under emergency procedures the Detroit District will dedicate additional resources to expedite the schedule. The Detroit District continues to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and Section 7 the Endangered Species Act.
The Detroit District continues to consult with Tribal Nations and will analyze the project’s potential impacts to treaty rights. A draft EIS is expected to be published for public comment in June 2025. The public is encouraged to follow updates at www.line5tunneleis.com to submit feedback on the Draft EIS, when available, and to subscribe (https://www.line5tunneleis.com/subscription/) to project review notifications.
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