密歇根新闻广播 恩桥隧道的命运究竟如何

During his final days in office, former Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation that created the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority. Its purpose? To oversee¹ construction of a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac that would encase new oil and gas pipelines³ to replace Enbridge's aging Line 5.

But Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel ran, and won, while promising⁴ to shut Line 5 down permanently⁵. Now they’re moving to keep that promise, setting up a showdown with the Republican lawmakers who control Michigan’s legislature.

On Thursday, Nessel issued an opinion saying the law passed during last year's lame⁶ duck session is unconstitutional. Governor Whitmer followed up shortly after by issuing an executive order which halted any further efforts to put the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority law into action.

Jim Malewitz has been covering Line 5 for Bridge Magazine. He joined us to answer some key questions about the ongoing⁷ debate.

Click here to see Enbridge's full response to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's opinion and Governor Whitmer's executive order.

What are the main arguments for and against the proposed tunnel?

On the pro-tunnel side, Malewitz says, are Michigan Republicans and Enbridge. They say that constructing the tunnel is the "best way to protect the Great Lakes and to make sure that the pipeline² is still sending fuel to the Upper Peninsula, and throughout Enbridge's regional pipeline infrastructure⁸.

On the other side, he says, are Democrats⁹ and environmental activists¹⁰. They want to see the pipeline shut down, and to stop the transport of oil through the Straits altogether.

Why did the Michigan Legislature create the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA)?

Malewitz says lawmakers originally intended for the pre-existing Mackinac Bridge Authority to oversee construction of the tunnel, but members of that authority objected. The bill was revised to move the duties related to the tunnel's construction away from the Mackinac Bridge Authority and to the newly-created Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority.

What did Attorney General Nessel and Governor Whitmer do?

In her opinion, Attorney General Nessel argued that the title of the bill did not match its actual content. She wrote that put the law into conflict with the title-object provision of the Michigan Constitution.

"[Nessel] said that the reason that there was this title-object clause in the Constitution was to make sure that lawmakers knew what they were voting for when they were voting for it, explained Malewitz.

Less than an hour after the attorney general issued that opinion, Governor Whitmer ordered all state agencies to stop working on plans related to the construction of the tunnel.

What comes next?

Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) told Malewitz that Nessel's opinion was "shameful¹¹." Shirkey said that the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority could potentially sue the Whitmer administration in attempt to defend itself and tunnel's construction.

Mike Nystrom, the former head of the MSCA, told Malewitz that he didn't think the organization could take legal action because Whitmer's order dissolved it as an entity¹².

It seems like the ball is probably in Enbridge's court to try to restart something, whether that's negotiation¹³ with Governor Whitmer or it's some sort of legal action, said Malewitz.

Editor: Enbridge Energy is one of Michigan Radio's corporate¹⁴ sponsors.

This post was written by Stateside production assistant Isabella Isaacs-Thomas.

1 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

2 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

3 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

4 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

5 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

6 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 shameful   

adj.可耻的，不道德的

参考例句：

• It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。
• We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

12 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

13 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

14 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。