[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 183 (Thursday, November 9, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S7147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



              The Great Lakes and Underwater Oil Pipelines

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, next to our people, the Great Lakes are 
unquestionably Michigan's greatest resource. They are more than an 
economic engine. They are more than a source of drinking water for 40 
million people. They are more than a destination for tourists, boaters, 
and anglers from across the globe. While the Great Lakes are certainly 
all of those things, in Michigan, they are also a way of life. They 
are, quite simply, home. You cannot sit on the edge of one of our 
massive inland seas without feeling a sense of awe and gratitude.
  Next to me is a photo of the Straits of Mackinac, a 5-mile stretch of 
water where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron and where Michigan's Upper 
and Lower Peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge.
  Unfortunately, today I cannot look out at these straits without 
feeling a grave concern. The Straits of Mackinac are home to powerful 
currents. Water, at times, flows through at a volume greater than 10 
times that of Niagara Falls. The currents are also unpredictable, as 
they can flow in any direction and can change not only by the season or 
even by the day, but they can actually change by the hour.
  The straits are also home to twin underwater oil pipelines that are 
operated by Enbridge, known as Line 5, that are now 64 years old and 
getting older by the day. A recent study by the University of Michigan 
found that the Straits of Mackinac are the absolute worst possible 
place for an oilspill anywhere in the entire Great Lakes Basin.
  Without question, there is no way that this pipeline would have been 
built today, but it is there, and we need the toughest protections and 
strictest accountability possible. To put these in place, I worked to 
pass bipartisan legislation to designate the Great Lakes as an 
unusually sensitive area, which requires the highest possible operating 
standards under Federal law.
  Rigorous Federal oversight is critical, but pipeline owners and 
operators must do their part as well by being transparent and 
forthcoming.
  While Enbridge assured us repeatedly that Line 5 is ``as good as 
new,'' we found out in August that there are bandaid-sized gaps where 
protective coatings had worn completely away and exposed the bare metal 
underneath to the harsh underwater environment in the straits. Last 
month, we learned of six additional locations with damage to the 
protective coatings, leaving areas as big as 1 square foot of exposed 
bare metal at each location. Then, on October 27, 2017, just 2 weeks 
ago, Enbridge disclosed that its pipeline integrity department knew of 
the damage that it had caused to the pipeline while conducting 
maintenance in 2014--3 years ago.
  I share the concerns that have been expressed by thousands of 
Michiganders who dread the worst case oilspill scenario, and I share 
their frustration and their anger at being misled. It is unacceptable 
that damage to a pipeline running through the Great Lakes could go 
unreported for 3 weeks, let alone 3 years.
  Simply put, Enbridge does not deserve our trust, and we deserve some 
answers. This is why, earlier this week, I called on the Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to exercise its oversight 
role and conduct a thorough investigation--examine any potential safety 
or reporting violations--and assure all Michiganders of the safety and 
integrity of Line 5, if at all possible. I also joined Senator Stabenow 
in demanding answers from Enbridge's CEO to three very critical 
questions:
  One, what are you doing to fix your broken reporting procedures?
  Two, is there any other unreported damage to Line 5?
  Three, how can we be certain that regulators are being fully informed 
by your company?
  We need these answers, and we must get them.
  I will never stop fighting to hold pipeline operators accountable and 
to keep our Great Lakes safe and clean. The Great Lakes are home, and I 
will do everything that I can to protect them for generations to come.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.