Congressman Fred Upton wants to work more on pipeline safety if he wins re-election and is sent back to Washington next year. He tells WSJM News he’s been very encouraged to see progress on a plan to reduce risks with Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The governor has announced a $500 million plan — to be paid for by Enbridge — to construct a tunnel to protect its pipeline.
“I’m going to do all I can to shorten the time span to get it done, from maybe seven to ten years to less than that,” Upton said. “They’re going to put it under a new authority, the Mackinac Bridge Authority, which is a bi-partisan group that I think can manage this in the years ahead.”
Upton says he wants to upgrade pipeline standards. He notes legislation signed by former President Barack Obama in 2016 increased inspection requirements. Upton wants to build on that next year.
