Permits for hundreds of energy projects may be fast-tracked by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Trump administration, including plans for a pipeline project in the Great Lakes and a fossil fuel plant in Superior.
The Army Corps designated the projects as eligible to receive an emergency permit following President Donald Trump’s executive order that declared a national energy emergency. They include Canadian energy firm Enbridge’s proposal to build a $750 million tunnel to house Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lakes Michigan and Huron. A roughly $1 billion gas-fired power plant in Superior proposed by several utilities is also on the list.
The Army Corps is reviewing federal permits for both projects under the Clean Water Act and River and Harbors Act. An Army Corps spokesperson said the agency is reviewing permit applications in relation to Trump’s executive order. No details were shared on how the list was developed or how it would affect permitting.
The agency has previously fast-tracked permits in emergencies, such as natural disasters. Federal regulations say the Army Corps can expedite permits if it would create “an unacceptable hazard to life, a significant loss of property, or an immediate, unforeseen, and significant economic hardship” to follow the agency’s standard process.
Enbridge’s Line 5 runs 645 miles and carries up to 23 million gallons of oil per day from Superior to Sarnia, Ontario. In a statement, Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner noted the company first applied for a permit with the Army Corps in 2020 for the proposed tunnel, calling it critical energy infrastructure. The project aims to reduce the risk of spills in a 4-mile span of the 72 year-old Line 5, which has been damaged by anchor strikes in recent years.
“However, after nearly five years, the project still awaits action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on an environmental impact statement and a permitting decision,” Kellner said.