The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a final permit allowing Enbridge to begin construction on a 41-mile segment of the Line 5 pipeline, a move the company says will bypass the Bad River Reservation while securing energy supplies for the Midwest.

The decision marks the final federal hurdle for the Wisconsin Segment Relocation Project. 

Enbridge officials stated that construction staging and clearing activities are already underway, describing the reroute as the "most studied pipeline project" in the state’s history.

"We are ready to begin as soon as all approvals are received," said Enbridge representative Juli Kellner. 

The project is expected to utilize a union workforce and generate millions of dollars in construction spending across Ashland, Bayfield, and Iron counties. 

The relocation aims to resolve a long-standing dispute with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

A federal court previously ordered Enbridge to cease operations on the reservation by June 16, 2026. 

However, Enbridge has filed a motion to stay that shutdown order, arguing that a premature closure would violate international treaties and disrupt fuel supplies to 10 regional refineries.

Besides the previous “cease operation” order, the project faces stiff legal opposition. The Bad River Band and several environmental groups, including Clean Wisconsin and the Sierra Club, filed a petition for judicial review last week in Iron County Circuit Court. 

Meanwhile, opponents are seeking an immediate stay on construction, alleging that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) failed to adequately assess environmental risks.

"We are more committed than ever to protecting Wisconsin’s waters from the irreversible harm this project threatens to cause," said Rob Lee, senior staff attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates.

The DNR previously issued state permits in 2024, concluding that construction impacts would be temporary and would not violate water quality standards. 

Enbridge first applied for the relocation permits in 2020. Since then, the company has faced multiple objections to the project. Last December, a federal Judge blocked Michigan’s efforts to shut down the pipeline.

If the stay is not granted, the company faces a race to complete the new segment before the court-mandated June deadline.