US-Canada Pipeline Leaks Oil Into Michigan River
July 28th, 2010Via: BBC:
A pipeline carrying oil from the US state of Indiana to Ontario, Canada has spilled more than 800,000 gallons (3m litres) of oil into a creek which flows into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan.
A spokesman for the firm running the pipeline, Enbridge Energy Partners, said a malfunction had caused the leak.
The spill has killed fish and endangered wildlife in the region.
Officials said the pumps which feed the pipeline had been shut down as soon as the leak was discovered.
The 30-inch (76cm) pipeline carries 8m gallons of oil per day between the towns of Griffith, in Indiana, and Sarnia, in Ontario.
The pipeline, called the Lakehead System, is one of the largest in the world.
A pungent odour now hangs over the Kalamazoo River valley, local media report.
The oil originally spilled into the Talmadge Creek in Calhoun County, Michigan, north-west of the Kalamazoo River.
Some of the posts lately have been hitting close to home. This one practically is, I grew up not far from Griffith, and recall when the nameless generic factory/chemical plant looking place started putting up pretty signs that said Enbridge Energy on them. Also on the signs were the obligatory modern green leaf that these companies use like a sigil to make us think their business is cleaning up the environment. I also recall some wise old man telling me as we drove by once, and I paraphrase, “If they wanted to get us, they’d point their nukes right here”.
I never knew why.