As much as 144,000 gallons of freshwater a day are being lost after an accident during construction of the Line 5 oil pipeline. The Department of Natural Resources is investigating whether oil giant Enbridge breached an aquifer last week when it drilled beneath the Marengo River to install a section of the line. The flow of freshwater out of the accident site is currently being monitored.
“We are seeing in real time the risk our state bears so Enbridge can use our Northwoods as a pass through for its pipeline. IIt’s clear state officials must take immediate action to halt construction,” says Clean Wisconsin attorney Evan Feinauer.
The incident is the latest in a string of spills and accidents along the Line 5 construction route as Enbridge pushes to build a new 41-mile section of its pipeline.
“We know construction of this pipeline is harming our waterways and our environment, with even more potential damage on the horizon as Enbridge rushes to finish its Line 5 reroute,” says Feinauer.
Since Enbridge began construction on the reroute project in February, the company has:
- Spilled 1.3 million gallons of natural gas liquids, the largest reported oil and gas pipeline spill in Wisconsin history.
- Built an unpermitted section of pipeline to bypass its spill, despite Wisconsin DNR telling Enbridge to stop construction.
- Leaked more than 1,700 gallons of drilling fluid in eight separate incidents, many affecting wetlands and waterways.
- Caused two separate diesel fuel spills and one dewatering discharge.
In 2024, Clean Wisconsin and other groups took legal action against the DNR over permits that cleared the way for Line 5 construction, saying the agency failed to adequately evaluate the environmental risks. The case is currently under review in Wisconsin circuit court.
