Congressional Candidate Lon Johnson: Town Hall on Line 5 Pipeline attracts concerned citizens

First District Congressional Candidate Lon Johnson speaks at the March 5, 2016, Town Hall on Line 5, the aging pipeline under the Mackinac Straits. More than 100 concerned citizens attended the Town Hall, held at Little Bear Arena Community Center in St. Ignace, Mich. (Photos courtesy Lon Johnson)*

By Lon Johnson, Candidate for Michigan's 1st District Congressional Seat

This past Saturday, we held a town hall meeting in St. Ignace to talk about the threat the Line 5 oil pipeline is posing to our Great Lakes. I was so pleased that more than 100 community members came to the event to share their thoughts and concerns about this critical issue.

Aaron Payment (left), tribal chairperson of the Sault Tribe at Kewadin Casino, joins Lon Johnson in greeting community members during the March 5 Town Hall on Line 5 in St. Ignace.

Line 5 is a 60-year-old pipeline running under the Straits of Mackinac. It carries more than 500,000 barrels of oil and other petroleum products every day, passing through pristine, fresh water that supports fisheries, provides drinking water and sits at the heart of our thriving tourism industry.

The Canadian company operating the pipeline has a terrible safety record, having been responsible for major spills in Michigan and throughout North America. We can’t simply take their word that Line 5 is safe. We need an independent inspection to prove it.

As the member of Congress representing the U.P. and Northern Michigan, I promise to fight for the causes that matter to you. The people of the 1st Congressional District deserve a congressman who works as hard as they do.

* Click here to see more photos from the March 5 Town Hall on Lon Johnson's  Facebook page. He invites readers to share them on Facebook to raise awareness about this serious threat to the Great Lakes.

Visit Lon Johnson's Web site to see the list of communities that have passed resolutions calling for the shutdown of the flow of oil in the Line 5 pipeline.

Michigan communities are passing Line 5 Pipeline Resolutions

Lon Johnson, Democratic candidate for Michigan's First District congressional seat, reports that all across Northern Michigan and the U.P. communities are passing resolutions in relation to the Enbridge Line 5 Oil Pipeline. 

"With the Flint Water crisis still dominating the headlines, there is a growing concern that elected officials in Lansing care more about their own jobs than about the safety of their citizens," said Johnson. "That is why all across Northern Michigan and the U.P., communities are passing these resolutions."

While every resolution has been unique in its language and concerns, these local governments and communities understand the risks posed by Enbridge Line 5 and are seeking solutions ranging from an outright shut down to an independent review of the pipeline’s safety by a panel of experts.

"Flatly put, we can’t blindly trust politicians and corporations with the safety of our Great Lakes," Johnson added. "Trust must now turn to vigilance. Let's all take action. Now."

On Monday, Feb. 1, the City of Traverse City passed a rigorous resolution to stop the transportation of oil under the Great Lakes. This is the 15th municipal resolution passed in Michigan and there are many more in the works. The Traverse City resolution also supports Michigan House Resolution 182 calling for a shut down of Line 5. In addition, the City sent a letter of concern about the risk of a rupture in the Straits to Governor Snyder.*

Thus far, Michigan communities that have passed resolutions include these:
Alcona County, City of Cheboygan, Chippewa County, Cheboygan County, Emmet County, Genesee County, Krakow Township, City of Mackinac Island, Mentor Township, Munising Township, Presque Isle County, Presque Isle Township, City of Traverse City, Tuscarora Township, Wayne County, West Bloomfield Township.

In order to assist local communities, Lon Johnson has created a website with a sample resolution, copies of resolutions passed in other communities, as well as a packet of information about the pipeline.

This website can be found at:  http://www.lonjohnson.com/#!line-5/fcnd8

The Oil and Water Don't Mix coalition now lists 16 communities that have passed resolutions calling for the shutdown of the flow of oil through Line 5. Oil and Water Don't Mix also offers information and assistance with passing a similar resolution in your community. Click here for info.

The state of Michigan on Feb. 8 said it is extending the public comment period on two draft requests for information and proposals (RFIs) that will be issued for prospective contractors who are interested in performing an independent risk analysis and an independent alternatives analysis related to the pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac known as Enbridge Line 5. Comments on the draft documents are now due by Feb. 16, 2016. Click here for info on this update.

* Click here to read the Traverse City resolution and letter to Gov. Snyder.

Inset photo: Lon Johnson, Democratic candidate for Michigan's First District congressional seat. (Photo courtesy Lon Johnson campaign)