The voices for clean water against Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline

In this audio story, the terms ‘nation’ and ‘tribe’ are used. Though sometimes used interchangeably in other forms of writing, this article uses nation as a legal term that refers to tribal sovereignty. Tribe is used to refer to a general self-determination, encapsulating lived experiences beyond the legal realm.

[“Lake Superior Waves” by BullSam is licensed under CC BY 4.0.]

The sound of freshwater rushing against the sand in Lake Superior is common noise for Joe Bates. He is a tribal elder of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Northern Wisconsin. Bates was born there. Then, at seven years old, he moved away with his family but finally returned at 29. This is when he made the reservation his permanent home. 

BATES: “This is my homeland. This is what my ancestors died and fought for, this homeland that we have here. I’m just so grateful to be able to come back to my home and remain here for the remainder of, you know, what I have left.”

Bates said that water is sacred. To him, the presence of Lake Michigan on reservation lands is meaningful.

BATES: “And my words for the water was, essentially: essential. Without that good, clean water we will cease to exist. We have everything that we need to survive right here, right here in our homeland that we call Bad River.”

[“Cinematic and Emotional Background Music For Documentary Videos & Film” by MorningLightMusic is licensed under CC BY 4.0.]

He spends an extensive amount of time capturing drone footage of the lake. But this endeavor isn’t just a hobby to collect B-roll. Bates uses his drone to trace the path of a specific oil pipeline. The pipeline is called Line 5 – an underground oil pipeline built by Enbridge, a multinational Canadian pipeline company.

Line 5 carries 22 million gallons of refined oil and natural gas liquids each day. The pipeline spans over 645 miles. It stretches from Superior Wisconsin, where Bates is located, and through Michigan. Line 5 ends in Sarnia, Ontario. 

The problem is that the state of Michigan originally considered Line 5 to have a lifespan of 40 to 50 years. It was built in 1953. 

Currently, Line 5 is 70 years old and its state of deterioration is responsible for 33 recorded spills. The old age of the pipeline has caused corrosion and cracking in certain sections. The Michigan easement that allowed it to function in the straits of Mackinac also requires the line to be supported every 75 feet. Yet, many stretches are unsupported for over 200 feet. One unsupported section even exceeds 400 feet. This lack of support causes stress and makes rupture even more likely. The state of Michigan, climate activists and Native Americans are worried that a larger rupture could compromise the Great Lakes, which accounts for 21% of the world’s freshwater.

Jack Kelly and Catherine Buntin are the co-chairs of the Chicago Area Peace Action Climate Group or CAPA. CAPA is an activist organization that supports various climate issues in the Chicago area. They are involved in the fight against Line 5 and have held protests downtown at Chicago Chase bank locations to call out corporations that fund oil pipelines. They’ve also signed petitions and spoken with local politicians like congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, to share their concerns. Kelly believes in the importance of localized grassroots activism.   KELLY: “Local communities should have a say in what their security would look like, not only today, but as we go forward.”

Like Kelly, Catherine Buntin