LANSING, Mich (WLNS) – A bill has been introduced in the Michigan Senate that would shut down oil pipelines in the Great Lakes.

Senator Rick Jones is targeting Line 5, the 64-year-old Enbridge pipeline that currently runs under that Straits of Mackinac.

The pipeline carries crude oil from Alberta, Canada to the Canadian Sarnia refinery in Ontario.

Sen. Jones says he’s obligated to introduce the legislation.

“This is about fulfilling my constitutional duty as a senator to protect our greatest natural resource, the Great Lakes,” said the Grand Ledge Republican senator. “Roughly 40 million people drink water from the Great Lakes every day, and the lakes support thousands of Michigan jobs and families. It is simply too much to risk so that Canada can have a shortcut for their oil.”

Senate Bill 292 would stop future pipelines from running through the Great Lakes and would require operators of current pipelines to have a full risk analysis done by a third party.

If that analysis shows the risk of operating the pipeline is too high than the operation would be shut down immediately.

Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy.com said that disrupting the flow of 540,000 barrels of crude oil per day could pose problems for refineries in Detroit and Sarnia.

He adds that shutting down a pipeline on short notice would likely drive up prices for gasoline and other fuels in this area.

Jones’ bill has been sent to the Senate Natural Resources Committee.