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Line 5 Wisconsin Segment Relocation Project

Line 5 is a vital link to propane and other energy supplies for the upper Midwest, and has been safely operating across northern Wisconsin since 1953. Every day, this 645-mile-long, 30-inch diameter pipeline plays a critical role transporting 540,000 barrels of light crude oil, light synthetic crude oil, and natural gas liquids to a regional network for this area.


In July 2019, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of Line 5 from the Bad River Reservation. Enbridge is proposing a relocation of a 12-mile section of Line 5 from the Bad River Reservation, replacing it with approximately 41 miles of pipe outside of the Reservation.

Tribal engagement
Line 5 in Wisconsin: Consider the alternative
The Line 5 underground pipeline was built in 1953 to remove oil-carrying tanker traffic from the Great Lakes, and avoid oil transportation by truck and rail. We’ve been safely operating Line 5 for more than 70 years.

Consider the alternative. If we were to transport the same amount of product by tanker truck, an estimated 2,100 trucks would need to travel east every day on US-2 from Superior to transport products currently carried by Line 5.

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Our commitment to the environment
Safety of people, and protection of the environment, is our top priority. Whether we’re planning, building, maintaining or operating a pipeline, we take special care to minimize our impact on the surrounding environment.

From wildlife protection strategies, to Horizontal Directional Drilling, to using pre-existing corridors of activity, to habitat restoration, we work hard to minimize our long-term impact to land along our pipeline routes.

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Sustainability at Enbridge
Sustainability is central to everything we do. Across our business, we’ve committed to net-zero GHG emissions from our operations by 20501, 3—and reducing emissions intensity from our operations 35% by 2030.1, 2

We have an important role to play in providing access to cleaner energy. That role involves contributing to GHG emission reductions goals and seeking new and improved ways to deliver energy safely, responsibly and sustainably.

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Pipeline construction: Safety and the environment
Project information
Doing good works for water and wildlife

This recent restoration project, helped with an Ecofootprint grant from Enbridge, deepened existing wetlands, removed invasive plants, helped attract migratory birds and pollinators, capture sediment and reduces erosion.

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‘We have to be the ones telling our stories’

A recent outdoor archaeological school for Native Americans including Bad River Band members, organized by B&W Services, Dirt Divers Cultural Resource Management, AECOM and Enbridge, saw students earn certifications as Tribal monitors.

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‘Keeping our good water quality is a passion’

Chalked up as a huge success, a Tyler Forks River crossing project completed in fall 2024 in Iron County was funded in partnership with an Ecofootprint grant, and has proven vital for regional watersheds and the Great Lakes.

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Preserving a globally rare habitat in Wisconsin

Bayfield County and the Wisconsin DNR, supported by an Enbridge Ecofootprint grant, have been carrying out the Northwestern Sands Barren Restoration project to save bird species and support a thriving environment for pollinator plants.

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Strong roots in the Wisconsin community

Hayward, Wisconsin has hosted the Lumberjack World Championships every year since 1960, with Enbridge its title sponsor for more than a decade. D.J., Chief of Competition for the annual showcase event, recalls that Enbridge stepped in to save the event during the economic downturn of 2009. “We were in some really rocky waters,” he says. “That relationship (with Enbridge) made this event that much better.”

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Connecting Wisconsin communities with nature

Copper Falls State Park is a 600-acre jewel in northern Wisconsin. A pair of Enbridge grants will help connect local communities to this majestic park by establishing a new walking and cycling trail: “We can all work together to create a project that we can all be proud of—that all of us can use.”

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Regulatory information
Project permit applications: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Several permitting agencies review the project. Construction will not begin until permits are received, and Enbridge encourages public participation in the process.

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The construction process

1 GHG emissions included within our targets are from assets over which we have operational control (Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions). Projected reductions of GHG emissions intensity and absolute emissions is relative to the 2018 baseline year. For more information, see our 2023 Sustainability Report.
2 This metric aggregates emissions and throughput for each business unit on the basis of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per energy delivered in petajoules (“PJ”).
3 Absolute emissions.