Oil & Water Don’t Mix, a non-profit opposing Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, is leading student efforts across the Upper Great Lakes to advocate for the pipeline’s shutdown.

The campaign includes eight Michigan universities, along with schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Canada. Opponents argue the aging pipeline, running through the Straits of Mackinac, poses a catastrophic environmental risk if a spill occurs.

Calvin Floyd is a University of Michigan grad student from Southeast Michigan who joined the Line 5 student campaign after first learning about the issue in high school.

“I remember the Kalamazoo oil spill,” Floyd said. “I became aware of the same company that was operating a ticking time bomb underneath the Straits of Mackinac and that it had to be stopped.”

Enbridge defends Line 5 by citing its economic importance and safety measures, including a proposed tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac and continuous monitoring.