Last week, the federal government approved a permit for the proposed Line 5 tunnel project.
And the decision came even as regulators acknowledged the project would harm areas that Michigan tribes say are important for their ways of life.
Austin Lowes, chairman of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, criticized the Army Corps of Engineers decision to issue a permit for the project.
“Plain and simple, it’s one of the most disgusting things I’ve been confronted with as a tribal leader," he told IPR.
Enbridge Energy, which owns the pipeline, says it is committed to the health of the Great Lakes.
Reporting for this episode by Vivian La.
Producer: Austin Rowlader
Editor: Steve Junker
Host: Ed Ronco
Music: Blue Dot Sessions