LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s state of emergency declaration and suspension of certain regulations after an oil refinery fire in Indiana marks a stark contrast to what appears to be her administration’s vigilant pursuit to shut down Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac.

The BP plant in Whiting, Indiana is undergoing damage assessment after an electrical fire last week. This fire is problematic for Michigan and other Midwest states since the plant provides roughly one-quarter of the area’s gas, jet fuel, and diesel.

MORE NEWS: Michigan Snags $60M in Federal Projects as Selfridge Fighter Jets Get the Big Boost

While a Whitmer press release touts her “proactive steps…to help Michiganders get the fuel they need to drive their cars and help businesses keep their products moving,” her administration is actively pursuing the shutdown of Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, which provides fuel for much of Michigan.

Line 5, which has functioned since 1953, transports up to 540,000 barrels (22.68 million gallons) per day of light crude oil and natural gas liquids.  Some of the natural gas liquids are refined into propane and used in the Upper Peninsula, while other products are routed for processing at oil refineries in Detroit and Toledo, Ohio. An overview of Line 5 can be found on the Michigan government page here.

Enbridge officials say if Line 5 is shut down, Michiganders would lose access to 756,000 gallons of propane a day, or 55% of the amount the company supplies to the state. It provides 65% of propane to the U.P. It is moving forward with a project to build a tunnel to encase Line 5, and spending $500 million out of its own pocket to do so.

Gov. Whitmer’s office has not offered a detailed plan of how the energy would be replaced, or how much it would cost.

In a November 2021 press release, Whitmer stated “Our goal here remains the same: protecting the Great Lakes, protecting Michigan jobs, and protecting Michigan’s economy.”

However in this state report, it shows that propane trucking and railway transportation from Kansas and parts of Canada could be alternatives if Line 5 is shut down. It begs the question, does this make financial sense for the state of Michigan? How will the shift in energy supply be passed on to consumers? The trucking industry is currently experiencing a driver shortage, and the price of gas and diesel are chipping away at companies’ bottom lines.

MORE NEWS: Tariff Tantrums: Michigan Voters Blame Trump for Prices That Were Jacked Up Under Biden

Last week, a U.S. District Judge ruled that Attorney General Dana Nessel’s suit to shut down Line 5 will not return to state court.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filed the paperwork to begin the scoping process for an environmental impact statement. That means anyone can provide input on the tunnel project via mail, through the project website or in meetings during the scoping period.

The scoping period runs until October 14.