DNR Issues Formal Notice of Violation to Enbridge; Additional Enforcement Action Possible
MADISON, Wis. – On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a notice of violation (NOV) to Enbridge Energy Company, Inc. for alleged violations in Iron and Ashland counties. The alleged violations include violations of permit conditions for the Line 5 reroute construction project and violations of state environmental laws for the unpermitted construction of a bypass around the Saxon Line 5 spill site.
A notice of violation is a formal letter providing notice of specific alleged violations and the potential consequences for each violation, including forfeitures. An NOV usually sets an enforcement conference at which the DNR and the regulated entity discuss the legal and factual aspects of the violations.
The NOV covers alleged violations that occurred during the reroute construction and in response to the Saxon spill from the first alleged violation on the Line 5 reroute construction project on March 30, 2026 through Sept. 21, 2026. The DNR will continue to review incidents that have occurred after Sept. 21 and any future incidents that could constitute a violation for additional enforcement action.
The alleged violations included in the NOV involve violations of state water quality, wetland, navigable waterway, air quality, storm water, and endangered resources protection laws.
The NOV also sets an enforcement conference, which is a standard enforcement step at which the DNR and Enbridge will discuss the alleged violations.
After the enforcement conference, the DNR can take additional enforcement action that can include issuing citations and referring the case to the Wisconsin Department of Justice for prosecution to seek forfeitures and other court-ordered remedies. Specific enforcement actions for this NOV will be finalized after the enforcement conference and further investigation.
This NOV is separate from Enbridge’s ongoing responsibility under the Spills Law to respond to the hazardous substances that were released into the environment as a result of the Aug. 25 puncture of Line 5 that occurred as Enbridge was performing work on a valve for the existing Line 5 pipeline. The DNR issued a responsible party letter to Enbridge and is actively overseeing Enbridge’s investigation and cleanup of the spill.
No further information is available, and DNR staff are unable to accommodate an interview on this topic at this time.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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