As negotiations continue with Canadian energy delivery company Enbridge for a pipeline expansion here in Dane County, hundreds of miles away a pair of Enbridge lines are pumping 23 million gallons of oil per day underneath the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth.

The two pipelines, which span the Straits of Mackinac between Lakes Michigan and Huron, are now over six decades out from their installation in 1953, and some fear they haven’t been subjected to proper inspection and maintenance since then. Journalist and filmmaker Spencer Chumbley traveled to Michigan and spoke with residents of the area about these concerns while making a documentary piece on the pipelines for VICE.
What he found was a struggle between local activists and a multinational corporation that could have long-lasting repercussions for the very heart of the Upper Midwest.
Follow @spencerchumbley for updates on this story.