The protracted $450 million Line 5 pipeline relocation project in Wisconsin has received reprieve from an earlier shutdown order. A Wisconsin district court judge granted a motion that effectively pauses the June 16, 2026 Shutdown Order. The pause will hold until appeals are resolved by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, according to an Enbridge representative.

With this hurdle addressed, global pipeline and energy company Enbridge will continue construction on the 41-mile pipeline relocation project in northwestern Wisconsin. “We’re pleased the court agreed that shutting down Line 5 before a decision from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals would unnecessarily and unfairly harm millions of people in the Midwest and Great Lakes Regions by cutting off or severely disrupting their access to affordable energy,” Enbridge said.

The US Army Corps of Engineers also previously finalized and issued a permit on February 24, 2026 for Enbridge to commence construction. However, if they were not granted a stay on the shutdown order, Enbridge would have had to shut the pipeline down this summer. Moreover, this would have been done regardless of where they were at with the reroute. Enbridge’s commitment in energy projects is commendable as it considered one of the leading solar energy developers in the U.S. showing its diversification in other projects.

Scope on the Line 5 Pipeline Relocation Project in Wisconsin

Despite the achievement attained by Enbridge on the Line 5 relocation project, there is still much to look out for. For instance, opponents have noted that the battle is not yet over. The Bad River Band filed a motion on Feb. 19 to halt construction until the court can hear its legal claims. The group is represented by the nonprofit public interest group Earthjustice.

“The Wisconsin DNR approved Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute project in violation of Wisconsin’s environmental laws,” said Earthjustice Senior Associate Attorney John Petoskey in a statement. Other environmental groups have also filed petitions in Iron County Circuit Court seeking judicial review.

Line 5 is at the focal point of another controversy in Michigan, where Enbridge has proposed encasing another pipeline section. The encasing would be done in a tunnel that would extend. 4.5 miles beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge is seeking permits from both the Corps and also the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. However, none has provided an approval.

Project Factsheet

• Name of the project: Line 5 pipeline relocation project.
• Setting: Northwestern Wisconsin.
• Cost/investment: $450 Million.
• Project Type: Pipeline project.

Timeline

• Status Construction: Underway after June 16, 2026 Shutdown Order court decision.
• Permission: February 24, 2026, the US Army Corps of Engineers.
• Actions: pending appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to overrule a decision.

Site & Scale

• Length of Pipeline: 41 miles
• Target Area: Midwest and the Great Lakes Regions.

Key Developers / Authorities / Partners.

• Enbridge: International pipeline and energy organization that has undertaken the project.
• US Army Corps of Engineers: Permit to construct issued.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR): Grant approval on the reroute project.
• Bad River Band: Challenger of construction.

Strategic Objectives

• Make the Midwest and Great Lakes Regions continue to have access to affordable energy.
• Discuss environmental issues that relate to the construction and relocation of pipelines.
• Deal with legal issues and project schedules.

Current Status

• Construction Progress: Continuing
• Legal Environment: Continuous appeals and petitions of the project approvals and construction.