House Resolution 91 underscores urgent need for Line 5 pipeline project

State Rep. Dave Prestin on Wednesday championed the passage of his House Resolution 91, which offers the full backing of the Michigan House behind the President and his administration’s energy policies. The resolution passed along party lines.

In January, President Trump issued an executive order declaring a national energy emergency. The order expedited the permitting process for the Line 5 tunnel project, which has been held up by the Army Corps of Engineers.

“The President’s leadership in unleashing American energy production will pay dividends in Michigan for years to come,” said Prestin, R-Cedar River. “The Line 5 pipeline is the only thing standing between Michigan residents and devastating energy poverty, making its continued operation critical to our energy security and maintaining industry that fuels our economy. The Line 5 tunnel project is the safest and most efficient way to continue fueling homes and industry in the U.P., Michigan, and the whole Midwest.”

The Line 5 pipeline already supplies propane to much of the U.P. and Northern Michigan. The 2023-24 Winter Energy Appraisal, released by the Michigan Public Service Commission, estimated around 800,000 people rely on propane from Line 5 for heating.

Passage of House Resolution 91 comes after Attorney General Dana Nessel announced a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration over the national energy emergency declaration. Prestin was vocally opposed to the lawsuit, saying the following last week:

“The only announcement made today was that Dana Nessel is fundraising for something. It doesn’t matter how baseless a lawsuit can be, if there is an opportunity to raise some cash by calling President Trump evil, Dana Nessel will take it. This lawsuit is going nowhere, and she knows it.

“There is nothing more dangerous than energy poverty. Which is exactly why President Trump declared an energy emergency in the first place. They want electric vehicles but want to shut down the mines that produce them. They want data plants but don’t want the baseload energy production that keeps them online. They claim to want clean water and affordable energy but fight investments into a cleaner and safer Line 5 pipeline at every opportunity. When people can’t afford or find reliable energy, they turn to filthy alternatives. These actions by our attorney general, if she’s successful, will drive up costs and create a dirtier planet for all of us.”

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