Friday, 2 May 2025

Line 5 (again) and Bill 5

  It is highly likely that lately you have been rather distracted. As a way to get back to work, I will make a short public service announcement about two issues to which we should be paying more attention. 

Hot Water
  Line 5 is a big pipeline carrying lots of oil under the top of the Great Lakes. MM has already covered this issue and if you look at the links below you will even find a map. One of the reasons for your inattention to some important current issues probably has to do with President Trump. Unfortunately he is even involved with this one, but you might have missed it.
   You can start here:
"US Army Engineers Decide to Fast-track Great Lakes Tunnel Permits Under Trump Energy Emergency Order," Todd Richmond, AP, April 16, 2025. 
 "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided to fast-track permits for building a protective tunnel around an aging Enbridge oil pipeline that runs beneath a channel connecting two Great Lakes, stoking environmentalists’ fears that the project will escape scrutiny, damage the sensitive region and perpetuate fossil fuel use. 
The move comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January declaring that the U.S. has become too dependent on foreign energy sources. The order mandates that federal agencies identify energy infrastructure projects for expedited emergency permitting from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency."

  The few Canadian newspapers have only provided a few stories about what could be a major problem and they are also distracted. For example, a quick search of the G&M yielded first a few articles about 'lines' and 'fives' in hockey games, but at least they did report on the report above: 
U.S. Army Corps Fast-tracks Permitting Process for Contentious Enbridge Pipeline in Michigan," Patrick White, April 16, 2025. 

BILL 5
  This relates to potential legislative action here in Ontario, so surely you missed it because of the hockey games. Here is the official source for information, the title of which is rather different from the next ones provided.
Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025
Lecce, Hon. Stephen Minister of Energy and Mines.

Bill 5 Would End Endangered Species Protections and Attack Clean Energy
Ontario is Scaling Back Species at Risk Protections, Worrying Advocates and Inviting Federal Intervention: New rules narrow habitat definition, remove protections for some species, no longer require recovery plans, Inayat Singh, CBC, April 30, 2025.


   You be the judge. 

The Bonus: 
   We should be paying more attention to WATER. Here is a question about it that was recently asked: "Will We Have to Pump the Great Lakes to California to Feed the Nation?". Jay Famiglietti, NYT, Aug. 5, 2024. You will have to find the answer yourself.
  And, some pure CANCON:
"This Region Nearly Ran Out of Water. Locals and Experts Say Other Canadian Towns Should Pay Attention: 
B.C.’s Sunshine Coast Declared a State of Emergency Due to Drought in 2022." Elizabeth Hoath, CBC Radio, April 27, 2025.

Sources:
  About Line 5 in MM:
Line 5.
Oddments (1)
Line 5 Again


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