Ten Michigan tribal nations urge Supreme Court to return Line 5 case to state court

Ten tribal nations in Michigan filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court asking justices to keep the Line 5 pipeline case in state court, according to Michigan Advance. The tribes urged the court to reject Enbridge Energy’s attempt to have a federal court decide the lawsuit originally filed in 2019 by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

“For many years, Tribal Amici have called on the State to uphold its public-trust obligation to protect the Straits of Mackinac and the Great Lakes,” the brief states. “Michigan’s suit against Enbridge is a long-overdue course correction.”

The tribal nations include the Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Hannahville Indian Community, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and others.