
By Valerie Volcovici
WASHINGTON, April 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday granted Enbridge's proposed tunnel for its Line 5 pipeline national energy emergency status, fast-tracking a key federal permitting process.
President Donald Trump had ordered the Army Corps to issue permits enabling the filling of wetlands and dredging or building in waterways as part of the January 20 emergency energy declaration, which was aimed at expanding U.S. energy production to meet projected soaring demand.
The Army Corps, a federal engineering service, has permitting authority over projects involving wetlands and waterways.