A major expansion of Enbridge Energy oil pipeline capacity would quietly send more tar sands crude through Wisconsin than the higher profile Keystone XL line is designed to carry on its route a few hundred miles west.
People are also reading…
OIL TRANSPORTATION | ENBRIDGE PLAN WOULD DWARF KEYSTONE XL
Enbridge pipeline expansion, larger than Keystone, drawing some Dane County skeptics
1 of 15
As part of an effort to sharply boost the flow of tar sands crude through Wisconsin, Enbridge Energy wants to build another pumping station adjacent to an existing facility in northeastern Dane County. Enbridge electrical technician Scott Welter, left, and technical supervisor John Schwarz have responsibilities at several pump stations for Enbridge pipelines.
In 2007, Enbridge Energy was installing its Line 61 through Wisconsin, including a section south of Fisch Road in the Sun Prairie area. The 42-inch crude oil pipeline began operating in 2009.
Enbridge Energy electrical technician Scott Welter walks between pipelines outside the company's pumping station in the town of Medina. The company is adding pumping stations to increase the flow of tar sands crude through its Line 61.
Wearing gas detection devices, Enbridge Energy electrical technician Scott Welter, left, and technical supervisor John Schwarz converse in a control room adjacent to the company's pumping station in the town of Medina.
Enbridge Energy Waterloo pumping station in the town of Medina helps maintain an average crude oil flow of 667,000 barrels per day through the company's 34-inch Line 6a, which runs from Superior to Lockport, Ill.
This 2010 photo shows a 30-inch pipeline near the rupture point that spewed crude oil into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River in Michigan.
Enbridge Energy electrical technician Scott Welter checks the status of two pumps on a monitor in the company's Waterloo pumping station. Workers in a control center in Edmonton, Alberta, operate the station remotely.
Enbridge Energy electrical technician Scott Welter walks between pipelines outside the company's pumping station in the town of Medina. The company applied for a permit to build a second pumping station there to as part of a plan to triple capacity of its Line 61, which carries tar sands crude through Wisconsin.
Enbridge Energy is appealing a zoning board decision requiring spill cleanup insurance for a new crudge oil pump station it plans to build next to its existing one in the town of Medina. Above, electrical technician Scott Welter walks between pipelines outside the existing station. Enbridge is tripling the capacity of its Line 61, which carries tar sands crude through Wisconsin.
Enbridge Energy electrical technician Scott Welter walks between pipelines outside the company's pumping station in the town of Medina. The company wants to build a second pumping station there to as part of a plan to triple capacity of its Line 61, which carries tar sands crude through Wisconsin.
In 2007, Enbridge Energy was installing its Line 61 through Wisconsin, including a section south of Fisch Road in the Sun Prairie area. The 42-inch crude oil pipeline began operating in 2009.
An Enbridge Energy electrical technician walks between pipelines outside the company's pumping station in the town of Medina. The company plans to build a second pumping station there as part of a plan to triple capacity of its Line 61, which carries tar sands crude through Wisconsin.
Enbridge Energy wants spill insurance requirements erased from its permit to build another pumping station like this one in the town of Medina.
An electrical technician walks near where the county has permitted Enbridge Energy to add pumping capacity in the town of Medina.
As part of an effort to sharply boost the flow of tar sands crude through Wisconsin, Enbridge Energy wants to build another pumping station adjacent to an existing facility in northeastern Dane County. Enbridge electrical technician Scott Welter, left, and technical supervisor John Schwarz have responsibilities at several pump stations for Enbridge pipelines.
Line 61 through Wisconsin would carry more tar sands crude than Keystone.
Enbridge Energy's plans call for tripling the flow through its Line 61, which carries heavy crude through Wisconsin.
Some towns have chafed for years under restrictions of county officials who want to maintain wide-open spaces between 'burbs.
The Dane County Zoning and Land Committee's unanimous decision follows a consultant's recommendation that the county require Enbridge Energy t…
Republicans wiped out local government's ability to require spill clean up insurance, but there are other ways, advocates say.
Opponents say they don't want to be caught by surprise as they were when the company boosted existing lines to top Keystone capacity.
On the advice of a pollution risk expert, the county zoning board required Enbridge to supply a cleanup money guarantee.
Enbridge says its existing policy and state-federal guarantees should be enough despite lingering worries about massive 2010 spill.
Enbridge's huge 2010 spill in Michigan has officials worried about a rupture when the company triples the flow of crude through the county.
