Bill Text: MI HR0254 | 2015-2016 | 98th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution to urge the U.S. State Department to deny the Plains LPG presidential permit application for the pipelines under the St. Clair River.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-22 - Referred To Committee On Energy Policy [HR0254 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2015-HR0254-Introduced.html
Rep. Lucido offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 254.
A resolution to urge the U.S. State Department to deny the Plains LPG presidential permit application for the pipelines under the St. Clair River.
Whereas, Plains LPG Services purchased seven pipelines located beneath the St. Clair River and Detroit River in 2012 and requested that the U.S. State Department approve presidential permits to connect, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities at the international boundary between the United States and Canada; and
Whereas, The State Department issued one permit for the pipeline located under the Detroit River and one permit for the six pipelines under the St. Clair River in 2014. When Plains LPG discovered that the former owner had a previously unknown permit to transport crude oil through two of the pipelines, the State Department rescinded the permit for the pipelines under the St. Clair River and restarted the review process; and
Whereas, The original public comment period for the revised St. Clair River pipeline permit closed on February 24, 2016, but was re-opened on March 15, 2016, when many people informed the State Department that they had concerns about the proposed permit and had only became aware of the application after the comment period closed; and
Whereas, An oil spill in the Great Lakes would have catastrophic consequences for the environment and economy of Michigan, surrounding states, and Canada. A spill would be particularly devastating due to the challenges of responding to an oil spill in fresh water or under ice; and
Whereas, The 2015 Michigan Petroleum Pipeline Task Force (MPPTF) recommended against the transportation of heavy crude oil through pipelines under the Great Lakes and issued a series of proposals for how the state could improve its oversight of pipelines generally, including recommendations to develop better information, response plans, public awareness, and agency coordination. The MPPTF Report was prepared in response to the Enbridge Line 6B rupture in 2010 and renewed attention to the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline running near the Straits of Mackinac; and
Whereas, The Plains LPG pipelines under the St. Clair River could potentially be even more dangerous than Enbridge Lines 5 and 6B. Two of the six lines under the St. Clair River are nearly 100 years old, and the permit, if approved, would allow for the transportation of crude oil; and
Whereas, Not only could the rupture of these pipelines lead to disastrous consequences for agriculture, fishing, irrigation, electric generation, manufacturing, and wildlife, but the location of the Plains LPG pipelines poses a serious threat to the region's drinking water. The main drinking water intakes for Detroit and many other communities are located downstream of the pipelines, putting the public health of millions at risk; and
Whereas, A pipeline owned by Plains LPG's parent company ruptured due to corrosion and discharged more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil in Santa Barbara, California, in May 2015. The company was unaware of the rupture for more than two hours which delayed coordinated efforts to limit the spill's impact on the area; and
Whereas, The State Department should not approve any permits that would allow for the transportation of crude oil through the Great Lakes, particularly if the company requesting the permit has a history of failing to properly respond to oil spills; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the U.S. State Department to deny the Plains LPG presidential permit application for the pipelines under the St. Clair River; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the U.S. Secretary of State and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
