The Facts About Line 5 and Propane Heating in the Upper Peninsula
According to the state-commissioned Analysis of Propane Supply Alternatives for Michigan (page 28):
- There are 124,148 Upper Peninsula total households
- Only 23,073 Upper Peninsula households rely on propane to heat (bottled, tank, or LPG) their homes.
- The rest - more than 81% - heat their homes without propane.
The Facts About Replacing Line 5 as an Energy Source for Home Heating in Michigan
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Michigan has a comprehensive, five-step plan to ensure a secure propane supply for Michigan families and businesses when Line 5 shuts down. - The Upper Peninsula has 86 potential sources (page 50) for propane
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“The retailers in the U.P. have diverse sources and plenty of supply.”
--Kristopher Bowman, Upper Peninsula propane retailer and U.P. Energy Task Force member, January 11, 2021 meeting.
Michigan Is Ready for Line 5 Shutdown
The U.P. Propane Research Team says the U.P. is ready for the Line 5 shutdown. The Research Team is comprised of residents who have attended every U.P. Energy Task Force meeting.
“We have studied propane supply, and building up storage capacity is a key action to avoiding any disruption in energy supply in the Upper Peninsula when Line 5 is shut down in the Straits of Mackinac,” said Rosemary Grier of the U.P. Propane Research Team. “This is a good plan, very doable, and would take us on a path toward the kind of energy security we need here in the U.P.”
We can’t afford another Enbridge disaster like the Kalamazoo River oil spill. Oil & Water Don't Mix has endorsed the plan.
Line 5 Remains a Threat - But You Can Help
Until the Line 5 pipeline is shut down in the Straits of Mackinac, it remains a ticking time bomb. Built to last 50 years, it is nearly 20 years past its expiration. The pipelines nearly escaped disaster after suffering an anchor strike in 2018, and damage by Enbridge maintainance vessels so severe in 2020, the pipeline was shut down for several weeks. Every day the pipeline operates it keeps the Great Lakes at risk from a disastrous oil spill that could spoil 700 miles of Great Lakes shoreline.
A year-long review of the easement that gave Enbridge permission to operate its pipeline on Great Lakes bottomlands found several incurable infractions. Gov. Whitmer revoked the easement in November 2020, giving Enbridge six months' notice to shut down the pipeline on May 12, 2021.
Enbridge sued the State of Michigan in federal court and has sent a letter defying the shutdown order. This section of the pipeline is regulated by Michigan, but Enbridge is trying to make it a federal issue.
SIGN THE PETITION asking President Biden to revoke the presidential permit that allows Line 5 to operate, and do other things to better protect the Great Lakes.
Enbridge Fearmongering
For years, Enbridge has tried to convince Michiganders that its Line 5 pipeline is critical to Michigan. Their main red herring is that U.P. residents will freeze without the propane provided by Line 5. This couldn't be further from the truth. A Canadian energy expert revealed the truth of who Line 5 serves: it's for Canada, not Michigan.
How Much Propane Does Line 5 Provide?
Not much. You may be surprised to learn that the volume of propane offloaded in the Upper Peninsula is 0.25% of the volume of Line 5. This video looks at the propane issue.