April 10 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has urged

a U.S. appeals court to tell a lower court to rethink its order

that would require Canadian operator Enbridge ( ENB ) to drain

portions of an oil pipeline that runs through Native American

tribal land in Wisconsin, according to a court filing made

public on Wednesday.

In an amicus, or friend-of-court, brief dated April 8, the

U.S. Department of Justice told the Chicago-based 7th U.S.

Circuit Court of Appeals that forcing Enbridge ( ENB ) to drain portions

of its Line 5 pipeline could interrupt service in violation of a

1977 treaty between the U.S. and Canada to keep oil flowing.

The U.S., which is not a party to the case, said the lower

court was right to find Enbridge ( ENB ) is trespassing on the tribal

land, but said the court should reconsider its decision ordering

Enbridge ( ENB ) to stop operating portions of the pipeline by 2026.

Canada, which is also not a party to the case, had

previously argued in an amicus brief that the pipeline should be

kept open due to the treaty.

The 2019 lawsuit was filed against Enbridge ( ENB ) by the Native

American tribe the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.