MADISON, WI – As a Wisconsin Administrative Law Judge hears testimony today in Ashland, regarding the Enbridge Line 5 relocation project, the Wisconsin Building Trades Council stands firmly behind the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ comprehensive environmental review and permitting decision.
“Members of the Northern Wisconsin Building Trades understand both environmental stewardship and economic opportunity,” said Kyle Bukovich, President of the Northern Wisconsin Building Trades. “The men and women who will build this project live and raise their families in these same communities. They care deeply about environmental safety because this is their home, too. When you combine job creation with the rigorous safety standards our unions demand, this project represents a win for working families across our region.”
The contested case hearing represents an attempt to challenge permits issued after the DNR conducted an exhaustive four-year environmental assessment. That review included extensive public input, multiple comment periods, advanced scientific modeling, and culminated in a detailed 900-page environmental impact statement. The permits were issued with 231 specific environmental protection conditions.
“Wisconsin’s working families depend on reliable, affordable energy, and they deserve safe, well-paying jobs to build the infrastructure that delivers it,” said Corey Gall, President of the Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association. “This project ensures energy security while creating quality union employment with the safety standards our members demand. The DNR has done its due diligence; now it’s time to let Wisconsin workers safely construct this project.”
“Our highly skilled operating engineers are ready to put boots on the ground for this critical infrastructure project,” said Terry McGowan, Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139. “This is a pipeline that will be built to the highest safety standards. The construction trades have made lifelong careers out of building Wisconsin’s infrastructure safely and efficiently, and the Line 5 relocation will be no exception.”
The project promises substantial economic benefits for Wisconsin’s skilled construction workforce, with an estimated 700 union jobs during construction. These positions will provide family-supporting wages while contributing tens of millions of dollars in economic activity to northern Wisconsin communities. For many skilled tradespeople in the region, this represents an opportunity to work on a major infrastructure project without having to travel far from home.
Kent Miller, President and Business Manager of the Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council, noted the broad coalition supporting the project: “When farmers, businesses, and labor unions all agree on something, that tells you it’s a project that will move Wisconsin forward. This project has undergone more scrutiny than virtually any infrastructure project in state history.”
Chad Ward from Teamsters Local 346 added, “Line 5 is more than steel in the ground; it’s a lifeline for our region’s economy and for the livelihoods of real, working people. We’re talking about 700 good-paying union jobs during construction, with wages that allow workers to stay in their communities, support local businesses, and raise families with dignity. Let’s be clear, pipelines like Line 5 are statistically the safest and most environmentally responsible way to transport energy and utilize the latest technology and construction methods to ensure maximum safety. If this pipeline is shut down, the oil doesn’t go away. It just gets moved on other modes of transportation, right through more towns, past more schools, with higher risks and a bigger carbon footprint.”
“With extensive environmental safeguards in place, I know this project will be completed to the highest standards. That’s why, as a member of the Douglas County Board, we passed a resolution supporting Line 5,” said Scott Luostari, Carpenters #361 member and Douglas County Supervisor.
During the DNR’s permitting process, over two dozen Wisconsin organizations representing diverse interests submitted supportive comments, including agricultural groups, business associations, and multiple building trades councils. Public record analysis showed Wisconsin residents favored the project by a 2-to-1 margin during the 2022 comment period.
The Wisconsin Building Trades Council represents 15 member craft organizations and serves as the unifying voice for 40,000 skilled construction workers across the state. The organization has consistently advocated for infrastructure projects that create quality employment opportunities while meeting rigorous environmental standards.
