The Attorney General in Michigan is opposed to a permit being issued to a Houston-based petroleum transport company, regarding some pipelines under the St. Clair River.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry, Bill Schuette said he does not recommend modifying a May 2014 Presidential Permit issued to Plains LPG Services to allow it to transport crude oil through two 98-year old pipelines on the bottom of the river.
“As Attorney General of the State of Michigan, one of my highest priorities is protecting the Great Lakes, our most precious natural resources,” Schuette wrote. “The Great Lakes literally define our state and are the lifeblood of our environment and economy.”
Schuette said has a number of reasons for opposing the move, including:
– The condition, integrity, and suitability of the pipelines for transporting crude oil is unknown and unverified.
– Releases of crude oil from the pipelines would endanger public health and the public trust resources of the Great Lakes and connecting waters that provide public water supplies to millions and play a central role in state and regional environment and economy.
– There is no demonstrated need to use these pipelines to transport crude oil given the availability of other means to transporting that product across the border and Plains’ own recent statements that it does not actually intend to use them for that purpose.
– The additional reasons detailed by the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes in separate written comments on this subject.
“Under these circumstances, Plains’ proposed modification creates significant unnecessary risk, defies common sense, and does not serve ‘the national interest’ as required by applicable law,” Schuette wrote.
The comment period was extended for the application, but closed on April 14.
Plains LPG Services has been adamant that they have no intention in transporting crude oil in the pipes in question.
“Two of these pipelines are in service and were built in 1971 and 1973, respectively,” Plains LPG officials stated in a press release issued in March.
“Contrary to previous media reports, both of these pipelines transport liquid petroleum gases (LPG) such as butane and propane. These pipelines have never transported crude oil, and Plains LPG has no intention to transport crude oil on these lines. The two active pipelines follow the appropriate federal regulatory requirements for pipeline inspections, including complying with regulations that require internal in-line inspections in the past five years.”
Plains LPG officials added: “Four of these pipelines are inactive; have been purged and filled with an inert gas. This includes the two pipelines that were originally constructed in 1918. In the 1970s, a 5” pipeline was installed inside each of the original lines. The 5″ pipeline has no integrity dependency on the 8″ line.”
A Detroit Free Press article brought the issue to the forefront back in February, which drew concerns from environmental groups including Wallaceburg’s WATCH group.
– Photo credit: Google Maps
