LANSING—Three members of the Senate Republican Caucus sent a letter to Governor Whitmer today urging her to reach a compromise to keep Line 5 open and operational while plans for a new tunnel continue. The letter was sent in response to a lawsuit filed by the attorney general to shut down the oil pipeline.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, Senator Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, and Senator Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, issued the following joint statement:
“The Attorney General is slowing progress on a tunnel – not a penny of which will be paid for by taxpayers – that will ensure the continued safety of a vital energy conduit. If she has her way, Michiganders will pay significantly more for gas at the pump and for propane to heat their homes. And she will put at risk thousands of jobs that are directly related to the line, and thousands more that would be created by the tunnel project. Her actions today are ill-advised and dangerous.”
Senator Schmidt and Senator McBroom represent the Upper Peninsula communities directly impacted by Line 5. Senate Majority Leader Shirkey is a strong supporter of keeping Line 5 operational during the planning and building phases of the new tunnel.