A battle is raging over the largest surface freshwater system in the world.
The Great Lakes are a defining cultural and ecological anchor for the Midwest. The lakes hold one-fifth of the world’s supply of surface freshwater, supplying drinking water to up to 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada. The iconic system of five lakes spans more than 95,000 miles, creating one of the most diverse watersheds in the world that is home to 3,500 species of plants and wildlife and more than 250 species of fish.
What is the Line 5 pipeline?
Despite the lakes’ immense significance, the Canadian oil giant Enbridge has been shuttling toxic fossil fuels through the Great Lakes since the 1950s. The Line 5 pipeline transports up to 23 million gallons of crude oil and gas each day from Wisconsin to Ontario. It runs through hundreds of interconnected waters and the treaty-reserved territory of…
Read the full article originally published at earthjustice.org.