The Trump administration is receiving criticism for a deal concerning the Line 5 oil and gas pipeline project, which critics say is being influenced by political donations, according to the Guardian.
What's happening?
Line 5 is a nearly 650-mile pipeline that transports more than 500,000 barrels of crude oil and natural gas liquids per day across the Great Lakes area. While the project has been active since 1953, plans are to move the pipeline — which includes a roughly 4.5-mile underwater crossing — by building a tunnel underneath the Great Lakes, as the Guardian detailed.
While the project is owned by Enbridge, a private pipeline and energy company, there is controversy surrounding the contractor, Barnard Construction.
Tim Barnard, the owner of Barnard Construction, and his wife donated more than $1 million to the Trump campaign during last year's election, according to federal records. Barnard Construction also received over $1 billion to build portions of the southern border wall, as noted by the Guardian.
Why is this development controversial?
The allegations surrounding the Line 5 project highlight broader concerns about government transparency, corporate influence in politics, and environmental deregulation practices that sacrifice the protection of clean air or water, for example, in exchange for business development interests.
If the approval process was influenced by political donations from Barnard Construction, it would raise ethical and legal questions.
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"Contracts oftentimes are awarded based on large campaign donations rather than merit," said Craig Holman, a Capitol Hill lobbyist with Public Citizen, according to the Guardian. "It effectively rigs the bidding process against businesses who either cannot afford making large campaign contributions or who refuse to pay to play for government contracts."
Beyond the immediate political concerns, the environmental implications of a project like this being fast-tracked are dire.
By transporting more dirty fuel, the amount used and burned will only increase. As the energy industry is the leading producer of carbon pollution — responsible for about 35% globally — the demand for dirty fuels will rise as more is transported through the pipeline, which will increase the chances for an accident.
And that is not even to mention consequences this new pipeline could have on the Great Lakes. Holding over 20% of all global freshwater, per the Guardian, the lakes are at risk for pollution from potential pipeline leaks.
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These kinds of accidents would not be a surprise, given Enbridge's muddled past of oil spills, including the Marshall spill in a tributary of the Kalamazoo River in 2010 that was one of the largest inland spills in United States history, according to a Michigan government site.
What's being done about this?
Being aware of how companies are leveraging political power for personal gain can be a first step in acting against this project.
Citizens have also contacted local political authorities, including the governor of Michigan and the Army Corps of Engineers, whose environmental review has held up the project for seven years, per the Guardian.
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