EPA says flow of oil slowing from leaking pipeline outside Chicago, company to drill into pipe

EPA says leak from oil pipeline in Ill. is slowing

CHICAGO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the leak from an oil pipeline outside Chicago appears to be slowing.

EPA on-scene coordinator Sam Borries said Saturday that the oil is no longer rising to the surface and crews have cut opened pavement and dug about 5 feet to the 34-inch diameter pipe.

He says pipeline owner Enbridge Energy Partners will drill through the pipe to extract more oil.

The EPA has ordered Enbridge to stop all the flow of oil near Romeoville by noon Monday.

Borries says that as of Friday, 200 to 600 barrels of oil per hour were being recovered but it couldn’t be determined yet how much oil had spilled.

He says air quality monitors indicated there’s no health threat to residents near the site.

(This version CORRECTS that an estimated 200 to 600 barrels of oil per hour was being recovered, not leaked, on Friday.)