[Pixabay photo]

By Star Journal Staff

The Wisconsin Jobs & Energy Coalition will be in Rhinelander June 8 as part of its “Safest Way Tour,” to speak about the Enbridge Line 5 relocation project in Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties.

According to a press release the organization is a “coalition of Wisconsin labor, business and agricultural groups working together to ensure safe, affordable and reliable energy.”

The event will be held at Pioneer Park at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Line 5 is a 645-mile crude oil pipeline originating in Superior and terminating in Sarnia, Canada, which has been in operation through northern Wisconsin since 1953. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa filed a lawsuit in 2019 seeking the removal of the pipeline from the Bad River Reservation.

According to wijobsandenergy.com Line 5 transports an average daily capacity of 540.000 barrels of light crude oil, light synthetic crude oil and natural gas liquids.

 Enbridge, the pipeline company that owns Line 5, is proposing a 42-mile rerouting of the pipeline around the reservation, national and state forest land.  The route must be approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The event in Rhinelander will include speeches from elected officials, local business people, tribal members and labor leaders. There will also be a 34-foot section of the pipe on display.