Greetings,
GLTPA has been a strong supporter of both the Michigan and Wisconsin Enbridge Line 5 projects since they were first proposed over 5 years ago. The permit process for the Wisconsin Line 5 relocation began in February of 2020 and the permitting process for the Michigan Line 5 tunnel began in April of 2020. A hearing for the Wisconsin Line 5 relocation was held in mid-August 2025 in Ashland, Wisconsin and GLTPA testified in favor of the project at the hearing. The event was an actual hearing and not an informational meeting as everyone who spoke was sworn in before testifying.
Interesting is that the hearing was focused more on the Wisconsin DNR (WDNR) and the fact WDNR did approve the permit for Line 5 to proceed. As one would expect some of the testimony was based on a high degree of emotion. For some the project is about how they feel the project will impact things like the environment, endangered species, the landscape, and the “what if’s” should anything happen such as leak in the line. It’s very good that this passion is present although everyone is concerned about the environment. The question is always to what degree and the debate is usually about how much control humans have over it. Another attribute of emotional testimony is that there is never a suggestion on how to remedy the situation.
A UCLA study led by Dr. Michael Jerrett found that “Wildfires in California have become a major and growing source of GHG emissions.” Wildfire emissions in 2020 essentially negated 18 years of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.” When the study was completed in October of 2022, it found that 2020 was “the most disastrous wildfire year on record putting twice as much greenhouse gas emissions into earth’s atmosphere as the total reduction in such pollutants in California between 2003-2019.” In that 16-year timeframe, according to the study, credit was given to California lawmakers and residents for reducing GHG’s by 13% by reductions in the electric power generation sector. The fires since the study was completed in 2020 have been even more severe emitting even more GHG’s. The point is that the extremists stopped forest management but did not plan for the wildfires that are now negatively impacting air quality for all of us because of their actions. Stopping Line 5 will have the same result.
Line 5 delivers products that families and industries depend on. Industries including logging, farming, mining, home heating and food transportation are what everyone counts on for their daily needs. What I heard at the hearing is that the emotional groups want the Line to close and go away. One person who testified came from central Wisconsin and others traveled equally as far. If operations like Line 5 go away, I wonder where they are planning to get their fuel products from? How does their food get delivered and what about emergency services? It is one thing to not want a pipeline and another to not have a better alternative for replacing what those pipelines provide. To the best of my knowledge, they offered no alternative was offered.
As for WDNR it has been GLTPA’s experience the Department always rules on the side of caution. For instance, the wood turtle population was thought to be in great peril. The problem that always exists with endangered species is that no one can provide a number or data of how many turtles there were before the call for protection began. There’s no data to prove a problem really exists only that someone with passion for that species thinks there’s a problem. What does WDNR do? Rules on the side of caution, places the turtle on the threatened list, restricts logging activity, and comes up with an incidental take permit which some acknowledge and implement, while others do not allow its use. It is a restriction for a “might be” issue that was never proven beyond doubt to exist.
In addition to the turtle example, the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor recently budgeted a $1 million dollar grant to be used in part to examine WDNR’s overwhelming environmental policy that restricts new businesses from locating in Wisconsin and holds existing businesses at bay from expansion. If there is recognition at the state level that WDNR’s environmental policies are too restrictive, does it seem reasonable to think the Department would give a free pass to Enbridge to relocate Line 5 without total scrutiny and ruling on the side of caution? I don’t think so. The spots on a leopard can’t be changed nor can the decision-making policies at WDNR. It’s their way of handling environmental issues and they do not vary from their process.
An interesting observation is that none of the landowners I spoke with that own the land where the pipe is to be located, had objections to the Line’s construction. A person must wonder what the real objective is for those trying to stop the Line 5 projects. If the landowners are on board, it seems reasonable to assume they are very smart people and any concerns about safety or the project they had, have been addressed to their satisfaction. If not, they do not have to allow the project to move forward on their property.
For now, and likely well into the future, pipelines are the most environmentally friendly and efficient way to transport the energy needed to keep America’s economy on track. Sure, there will be some ground disturbance during construction, but that’s true for any project including driveways, parking lots, houses, and stores where dirt is moved. Typically, these are permanent changes in land structure. As for the pipeline, any ground disturbance will grow back to what it was blending back into the landscape with no visible difference seen. Hopefully this last hearing will allow the project to move forward for the betterment of all consumers.
Back to the woods, a person must wonder what, if any, value does the process of forestland and forest industry certification bring to the United States of America. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more ridiculous, “Earthsite” comes out with an investigation titled “How America’s RV industry is destroying Indonesia’s rainforests.”
According to the investigation and I quote, “The RV industry is now the biggest consumer of tropical wood in the United States, using an average of 500 rainforest trees every day.” You have got to be kidding! The investigation goes on to report that “Supply chains for Thor industries, Forest River and Winnebago, which together make 86 per cent of RV’s sold in the U.S. are tainted with wood from deforestation.” Furthermore, the investigation states, “Wood supplies of the US’s best-selling RV brand, Jayco, are linked to a massive project clearing three football pitches of orangutan habitat per day.”
There you have it, just like Hallmark which sells cards that are made in foreign sweatshops, they still claim to be following SFI/FSC certifications. And now the RV builders are getting wood products from companies decimating the rainforest. All the while American wood producers and sawmills are going out of business because someone is not doing their job to protect them from these atrocities that couldn’t get certified by American standards if they tried. Other than adding a great deal of cost to doing business, what value is being added to the supply chain through certification?
Speaking for myself, all I’ve witnessed since SFI and FSC came about is the continuous loss of roundwood consumers, declining forest health and FIA data that shows more wood being lost to natural mortality than what is being harvested and put to good use. Oh, and did I mention that SFI was depicted to be the silver bullet answer to FSC certification, which was developed in the Global Biodiversity Assessment, put in place by the United Nations Environmental Programme for the real purpose of bringing the United States of America down to the second class world level of all the countries like the one where this RV wood is coming from? Believe it or not, all of what was written beginning with the Club of Rome is coming to fruition before our very eyes.
During the writing of this article, I made a special trip to two of the largest lumber retailers in the Rhinelander area. The purpose was to ask customers if they recognized the SFI and FSC logos and what they stood for. Much to my surprise in one of the stores I did not find one piece of lumber or plywood that had either logo stamped on it. Nor did I recognize the names of some of the manufacturers of their lumber. In the other store there were products with one logo or the other. First, I spoke with the employees working in the lumber area.
Not one of them had a clue as to what the logos meant and stated the only thing customers care about is price. After explaining to them what certification is and how it could improve their discussion with customers, they seemed a bit more enthused about our discussion. After speaking with them I moved on to a customer and asked him the same questions about the logos and what they meant.
His response and I quote, “All I am looking for is quality lumber even if I pay more. I don’t care about the certifications systems and as far as I am concerned, they are a violation of anti-trust laws designed to put the small guy out of business.”
WOW! I was not expecting that response! For the next thirty minutes I learned that he was an attorney who moved from the city to the U.P. where he practices law in a rural area. His opinion of certification came from a case involving UL listings and how those regulations were developed to put small manufacturers out of business because the cost of compliance is driven by the large manufacturers. Our discussion reminded me of the book called “1913” written by Oliver Demille in July of 2012. The book tells of when income tax collection came into existence and how the middle-class thought it was time the rich people paid their fair share, only to learn it was the wealthy who developed the guidance for tax collection.
My observation is that the attorney in the lumber store is well educated beyond the practice of law. GLTPA receives calls regularly about the small family loggers being pushed out of business. How many small family farms are left in the country? Think the loggers are headed in the same direction? According to the books on the shelves this is by design. We know it, and what do we do about it.
The old saying is never let a good crisis go to waste. Perhaps it’s time to do more of what the Timber Professionals Cooperative Enterprises is doing which is taking the bold step to control more of their destiny. Investing in that project is more than a financial investment, it is an investment to restore the free enterprise system that America was founded on. Like it or not, America’s freedom is being chipped away a little at time. Why? Because most folks would rather look down and pretend it won’t affect them.
Until Next month,
Henry
“It is necessary always to give a great deal of thought to liberty. There is no substitute for it. Nothing else is quite so effective. Unless it be preserved, there is little else worthwhile-The protection of rights is righteous.” Calvin Coolidge