Since 1953, a pipeline called Line 5 has carried oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, Wisconsin, across the Upper Peninsula, down through lower Michigan, and into Canada.

You've probably heard people argue about it. Environmentalists want it shut down. Enbridge, the company that owns it, says that would be a disaster. Here's what the data shows.

The gas price impact of shutting it down? About half a cent per gallon — and that's from Enbridge's own expert. But the propane impact is real. Line 5 delivers about sixty-five percent of the Upper Peninsula's propane. Families heat with it. Farmers dry grain with it. There's no quick replacement.

The long-term answer may be cold-climate heat pumps, which now work well below zero and can cut heating costs in half for propane users. But that transition takes years. Right now, the honest answer is more complicated than either side admits.

Learn More

What is Line 5? A 645-mile pipeline running from Superior, Wisconsin, across Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, to Sarnia, Ontario. It carries up to 540,000 barrels per day of light crude oil and natural gas liquids. It's been operating since 1953 and is owned by Canadian company Enbridge. (Enbridge Line 5)

The gas price impact of a shutdown is minimal. Enbridge's own expert, Neil Earnest, testified in the Bad River Band federal lawsuit that shutting Line 5 would raise gas, diesel, and jet fuel prices by roughly half a cent per gallon in Wisconsin and Michigan. Independent analysis by London Economics International confirmed: 0.45-0.58¢/gallon. When both lines actually shut down for 19 days in 2020 after an anchor strike, dire price predictions did not materialize. (WPR; Michigan Advance)

The propane impact is real. Line 5 delivers about 65% of the Upper Peninsula's propane and 55% of Michigan's statewide propane needs. About 320,000 Michigan households heat with propane, plus approximately 8,000 farms. Natural gas liquids are offloaded at a terminal in Rapid River, near Escanaba, processed into propane, and shipped by truck to regional customers. The Michigan PSC and EGLE have said no viable alternative exists at current scale. (Enbridge propane data)

Wisconsin reroute: Enbridge began construction in February 2026 on a 41-mile reroute of Line 5 around Bad River Band tribal lands in Ashland and Iron counties. (Mining Journal)

Cold-climate heat pumps as a long-term solution: Modern heat pumps now work down to -15°F to -23°F, handling 80-90% of heating needs in Wisconsin/UP climates. Switching from propane can save $500-$1,500/year. The DOE's Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge produced new products rated for 100% heating capacity at 5°F and above. For extreme cold, a "dual-fuel" setup — heat pump for most of winter, propane backup for the coldest stretches — is recommended. (WI PSC Heat Pumps; RMI Wisconsin Analysis; Center for Energy and Environment)

Related Civic Minute segments: How Gas Gets to Your Pump (CM-25), Heating in the North (CM-31), When Gas Goes Up, Everything Goes Up (CM-26)