Michigan attorneys argued before a federal appellate panel to transfer a lawsuit regarding the shutdown of an aging oil pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac from federal to state court. The lawsuit against Enbridge Inc.'s Line 5 pipeline is based on state environmental protection laws, including the public trust doctrine and the Michigan Environmental Protection Act. The state claims ownership of the straits' bottom, asserting that federal jurisdiction does not apply to the case.
Enbridge Inc. contends that the case should remain in federal court due to its impact on international trade between the U.S. and Canada. The company missed the deadline to shift the case to federal court, prompting questions from the appellate judges about the delay.
