Enbridge Funds Police for Pipeline Reroute

0:00In Bridge, the Calgary-based energy company has set up a public safety fund to cover extra policing costs in Wisconsin. This comes as they reroute their Line 5 oil pipeline around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewaal Reservation. The pipeline moves about 540,000 barrels a day of Canadian oil through the Great Lakes to Ontario. The reroute follows a court order after the pipeline was found trespassing on tribal land. These communities oppose it due to spill risks near sensitive wetlands feeding Lake Superior. Construction kicked off last month at a cost of $450 million US dollars with protests expected. Local officials in Ashland County approved the deal by a close 10-7 vote, citing tight budgets for patrols and crowd control. Some counties along the route said yes, while others turned it down. The fund has no cap and stays confidential, managed by a former sheriff. In Canada, worry this creates a conflict, like paying police to guard company projects.

1:00They've seen resource firms cozy up to law enforcement before, but this direct funding feels off. Indigenous voices call it a way to quash resistance to fossil fuels. Meanwhile, Line 5 faces more battles. From Michigan's failed shutdown to tunnel plans under the Straits of Maconaw. These moves show how pipeline fights keep testing ties between energy firms, governments, and communities. That's the story for today.