Company defies Michigan governor's order to close pipeline

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — An Upper Midwestern oil pipeline continued operating Wednesday, despite a shutdown demand from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that the operator warned could lead to fuel disruptions similar to those resulting from a cyberattack on an East Coast system.

Whitmer ordered Line 5 closed last November because of the potential for a spill in a channel linking two of the Great Lakes. As her May 12 deadline arrived, Canadian pipeline company Enbridge said only the federal government has regulatory authority over its operations.

Enbridge, backed by numerous chambers of commerce and Republican legislators in Michigan, seized on last week's hack of the Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the gasoline consumed on the East Coast. The resulting shutdown led to panic-buying that has left thousands of filling stations without fuel and motorists in long lines.

“The cyberattack that triggered an unplanned, temporary closure brings to the forefront what consumers could face,” said Mike Moeller, Enbridge's director of operations for the Great Lakes region. “Without Line 5, consumers will shoulder the burden of supply disruptions and related price increases, particularly for propane and transportation fuel.”

Whitmer's office said in a statement that the Colonial Pipeline interruption “shows the danger of relying heavily on a single energy supply. That’s why Governor Whitmer has put in place a plan to protect jobs, diversify and expand our renewable energy resources, and ensure Michigan’s energy needs are met, while also taking action to get the oil out of the water as soon as possible.”

Line 5 critics said previous shutdowns, including one last summer when a pipe support was damaged, caused no gasoline shortages or price gouging. Drawing connections...