Young turtles rescued from path of pipeline project returned to the wild

WEBBERVILLE — Children of employees with Consumers Energy helped release two dozen young turtles back into the wild after being removed from the path of the Mid-Michigan Pipeline Project — the company’s effort to replace 55 miles of decades-old pipeline in five counties, including Livingston.

The turtles came from the eggs of adult females removed from the path of the pipeline project. They were incubated and raised by Chelsea-based Herpetological Resource and Management with help from Sea Life Michigan Aquarium.

“It’s become something of a tradition for us at Consumers Energy to release turtles back into the wild each year, and we’re proud to do our part to preserve them as part of our commitment to sustainable construction practices,” said Senior Vice President of Strategy, Sustainability and External Affairs Brandon Hofmeister.

“We’re conscious of our role in protecting Michigan’s wildlife and are committed to efforts like this because we know it’s right for our customers, the communities we serve and the planet.”

Last fall, Consumers released 56 turtles rescued during the project.

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The Mid-Michigan Pipeline Project spans across five counties: Livingston, Washtenaw, Ingham, Shiawassee and Clinton. The $55 million project has been split into two phases and is slated for completion this fall.

— Contact reporter Tess Ware at tware@livingstondaily.com.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Young turtles rescued from path of pipeline project returned to the wild