2/23/2026

ODANAH - A Wisconsin attorney is calling out government officials for continuing to shrink in the face of conglomerate oil companies like Enbridge.

Last week, an administrative law judge upheld the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' approval of the company’s Line 5 reroute project. Environmental and Tribal advocates argue a section of the pipeline has been operating illegally on the Bad River Reservation for more than a decade. John Petoskey with Earthjustice is one the attorneys representing the Bad River Band. He says the significance of the affected area can't be overstated, and decisions like these continue to endanger important public rights and resources.

                    0:13  "Nobody is standing up against Enbridge in the way that they should. This is part of a broader trend at reducing environmental quality and eliminating protections for health and welfare for profit."

The Band is challenging the decision and has filed a petition for judicial review and a motion to halt any construction. Enbridge argues the ruling validates that the D-N-R conducted a thorough review of the project and correctly issued the necessary permits.