Pipeline leaks more than 800,000 gallons of oil into Michigan waterways, coating wildlife

Oil pipeline leak pollutes major Michigan river

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Crews were working Tuesday to contain and clean up more than 800,000 gallons of oil that poured into a creek and flowed into the Kalamazoo River in southern Michigan, coating birds and fish.

Authorities in Battle Creek and Emmett Township warned residents about the strong odor from the oil, which leaked Monday from a 30-inch pipeline that carries about 8 million gallons of oil per day from Griffith, Ind., to Sarnia, Ontario.

The cause of spill was under investigation. The oil spilled into the creek, which flows northwest into the river. The site is in Calhoun County’s Marshall Township, about 60 miles southeast of Grand Rapids.

The Kalamazoo River eventually flows into Lake Michigan, but officials didn’t expect the oil to reach the lake.

Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge Inc.’s affiliate Enbridge Energy Partners LP of Houston estimated more than 800,000 gallons of oil spilled into Talmadge Creek before the company could stop the flow. Enbridge crews and contractors deployed oil skimmers and absorbent booms to minimize its environmental impact.

“We are going to do what it takes to make this right,” Enbridge’s president and CEO Patrick D. Daniel said during a news conference in Battle Creek.

The company had begun testing the air near the spill, with the primary concern being the possible presence of the cancer-causing chemical benzene. On Tuesday, the company said it hadn’t found any levels that would be of concern in residential areas. Groundwater testing also was planned. There were no reports of sickened residents.

As of Tuesday afternoon, oil was reported in about 16 miles of the Kalamazoo River downstream of the spill, Mary Dettloff, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Mich., said he discussed the spill Tuesday with President Barack Obama at the White House. He called the spill a “public health crisis,” and said he plans to hold hearings to examine the response.

“The company was originally slow to respond and it is now clear that this is an emergency,” Schauer told reporters on a conference call.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm activated the State Emergency Operations Center, and state officials conducted a helicopter flyover. Battle Creek and surrounding Calhoun County declared a local state of emergency.

“Our focus is protecting Michigan citizens and our environment by providing any needed state resources to expediently address the situation,” Granholm said in a statement.

Enbridge said it had about 150 employees and contractors working on the spill. Local, state and federal agencies also were involved, and the National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation.

The Kalamazoo River eventually bisects the city of Kalamazoo and meanders to Saugatuck, where it empties into Lake Michigan. Officials didn’t think the oil would spread past Morrow Lake, which has a dam upstream of Kalamazoo, Dettloff said.

The river already faced major pollution issues. An 80-mile segment of the river and five miles of a tributary, Portage Creek, were placed on the federal Superfund list of high-priority hazardous waste sites in 1990. The Kalamazoo site also includes four landfills and several defunct paper mills.

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said in a statement that his office has been in close contact with federal agencies to ensure that cleanup crews have the needed resources to complete the job as quickly as possible.

“For now, the focus is on limiting the damage and cleaning up the oil, Levin said. “It is also vitally important that the company responsible for the spill bear the costs of cleanup and that it compensate anyone who has suffered damages related to the spill.”

Emmett Township officials warned the public to stay away from the river until cleanup work is completed.

Associated Press Writer David Runk in Detroit contributed to this report.