Attorney General Dana Nessel sued the company in 2019 to shut down Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac.
Nessel’s lawsuit landed in state court earlier this year, but Enbridge wants a federal court to resolve the case without a trial.
The nonprofit policy group For Love Of Water, or FLOW, is among those opposing the company’s motion in court papers filed last week.
Enbridge says a treaty between the U.S. and Canada shields Line 5 from shutdowns. But FLOW’s legal director Carrie La Seur says it also gives the state some say.
“The treaty has some plain language about how states are still allowed to regulate based on environmental protection. That’s exactly what Michigan has done here.”
Enbridge Spokesperson Ryan Duffy said in an email that pipeline safety falls to the federal government. And he said if the federal court rules in favor of Enbridge’s motion, it should resolve the attorney general’s case as well.
