In an attempt to settle a lawsuit that seeks to decommission Enbridge Inc.'s Line 5 crude oil pipeline and remove it from a Chippewa reservation, the company offered the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa at least $24 million, Wisconsin Public Radio reported Oct. 9.
Enbridge's offer includes a $12 million settlement for claims concerning expired easements on selected areas, a $10 million payment after a new route for Line 5 is established and an annual $2 million payment from 2020 until the operation is removed from the tribe's reservation, according to the report.
The tribe has not yet responded to the offer, but the news outlet quoted a statement from Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins that said its position was unchanged.
Enbridge is seeking possible alternative routes and is pursuing individual settlements for landowners along the pipeline that would pay $2,000 for access to land to reroute the pipeline, Wisconsin Public Radio said.
