On February 13th, an administrative law judge upheld a key permit granted last year by Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Enbridge to build the line 5 reroute (41 miles of new pipeline) through the watershed of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in northern Wisconsin. This decision comes after the six-week contested case hearing last fall in which attorneys and expert witnesses presented evidence showing that the DNR permitted the project without fully understanding the risks.
Bad River Band has filed a petition for judicial review to challenge Administrative Law Judge Angela Chaput Foy’s decision. In their petition, they request an immediate stay to halt any construction until the Court can hear the legal claims.
Links to learn more
- https://midwestadvocates.org/the-fight-to-shut-down-line-5-continues/
- https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/judge-upholds-wisconsin-dnrs-permit-for-line-5-oil-pipeline
- Info on Appeal: https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/bad-river-band-asks-wisconsin-court-to-review-line-5-permit-decision