Michigan governor signs bill allowing Great Lakes oil tunnel

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation establishing a panel to oversee a hotly disputed tunnel that will house an oil pipeline beneath the waterway linking Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

Snyder acted Wednesday, a day after the Republican-dominated Michigan Legislature gave the bill final approval. It creates the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority to monitor construction and operation of the tunnel in bedrock beneath the waterway.

The tunnel and new pipeline segment will replace twin pipelines now resting on the bottom of the straits. They are part of Enbridge Inc.'s Line 5, which runs from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario.

Snyder also appointed the corridor authority's three members, who will serve six-year terms.

They include Geno Alessandrini of Iron Mountain, Anthony England of Ypsilanti and Michael Zimmer of Dimondale.