Oil and Water Don’t Mix, a nonprofit group opposing Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, is leading student efforts across the Upper Great Lakes to advocate for its shutdown.
The campaign includes eight Michigan universities, with schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Canada. Opponents argued the aging pipeline, running through the Straits of Mackinac, poses a catastrophic environmental risk if a spill occurs.
Calvin Floyd, a graduate student at the University of Michigan and volunteer student organizer, joined the Line 5 student campaign after first learning about the issue in high school.
“I remember the Kalamazoo oil spill,” Floyd noted. “I became aware the same company is operating a ticking time bomb underneath the Straits of Mackinac and that it had to be stopped.”
Enbridge defends Line 5 by citing its economic importance and safety measures, including a proposed tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac and continuous monitoring.
Last month, Oakland University hosted Bad River, a documentary about the Bad River Band’s fight against the Line 5 pipeline, while the University of Michigan screened Troubled Water, focusing on environmental and social justice.
Floyd pointed out student support for shutting down Line 5 is strong, with a diverse group leading the effort at the University of Michigan.
“It’s both in-state students who have a connection to the Great Lakes and to the region and they know the weight of this issue, and it’s also folks who come from all over the world who realize both the importance of this resource and how it's under threat,” Floyd outlined.
In November, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approved permits for Enbridge’s 41-mile reroute of the Line 5 pipeline, bypassing the Bad River Band’s reservation. The project faces opposition from the tribe and environmentalists.
