Bad river band sues federal government to block enbridge pipeline that threatens sacred wild rice waters

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is fighting to protect centuries-old wild rice harvesting grounds from a controversial oil pipeline expansion. The tribe has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to block construction of a 41-mile addition to Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, which would cut through pristine wetlands and waterways essential for cultivating manoomin—wild rice in the Ojibwe language.

Every August, tribal members harvest wild rice using traditional methods, knocking seeds from 10-foot stalks into canoes with wooden poles. This annual harvest represents more than sustenance—it’s a treaty-protected cultural practice dating back hundreds of years. But the proposed pipeline route would cross at least 70 waterways that flow onto the Bad River Reservation, threatening the entire ecosystem with potential oil spills.

Enbridge’s safety record raises serious concerns. The company caused Michigan’s largest inland oil spill in 2010, dumping over one million gallons into the Kalamazoo River. Last year, 69,000 gallons spilled in Wisconsin—initially reported as just two gallons, with the true scale hidden from the public for a month. The tribe argues that federal agencies rushed approval without proper environmental review or meaningful tribal consultation, violating both the National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Water Act.

This lawsuit is part of a broader seven-decade battle over Line 5, which was built across tribal lands in the 1950s without permission. A federal judge has already ordered Enbridge to remove existing pipeline segments from the reservation by 2026 and pay $5.1 million for trespassing, but the company continues pushing for expansion rather than removal.