Newsroom

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians participated in government-to-government consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today regarding Enbridge's proposed Line 5 tunnel project beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

The Sault Tribe requested consultation on Thursday, Aug. 6, and was offered a virtual meeting on Monday, Aug. 10, providing a limited timeframe for consultation before the USACE reaches its permitting decision.

During the one-hour meeting, Sault Tribe subject matter experts outlined concerns to Lt. Col. Donald Lew and USACE staff regarding the environmental, cultural, and legal impacts of the proposed multi-year project.

The Tribe urged the USACE to complete a thorough treaty rights analysis and completely deny Enbridge's permit application. The Sault Tribe maintains that the federal government has a trust responsibility to Tribal Nations and an obligation to uphold and respect treaty rights throughout the permitting process.

The Sault Tribe expects the USACE to consider the concerns raised during consultation as it reaches its decision. The Tribe will provide additional updates as the federal permitting process moves forward.