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News and Activities

Service Assists in Michigan Oil Spill Response

Date Posted: July 29, 2010

On Monday, July 26, 2010, a 30 inch pipeline belonging to Enbridge Inc. burst in Marshall, Michigan, releasing hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil into Talmadge Creek, a waterway that feeds the Kalamazoo River. As of July 29, 2010, the Kalamazoo River has been oiled from the spill area to 40 miles downstream. The spill site, located between Marshall and Battle Creek, includes marshlands, residential areas, farmland and businesses.

Federal and State agencies mobilized immediately in response to this spill and have taken a series of steps to minimize the damage this spill does to the river and surrounding communities. The Fish and Wildlife Service is providing technical assistance to the response agencies, focusing on actions to minimize impacts to wildlife and to oversee the recovery and rehab, as appropriate, birds.

While the oil leak has stopped, this incident is far from over. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes over a million gallons of oil may have leaked into the river. The Kalamazoo River is a fast-moving river and EPA's focus right now is on preventing oil from the Enbridge spill from affecting sensitive shorelines and, ultimately, keeping the oil out of Lake Michigan.

Contacts:

Frank J. Horvath, Chief, Damage Assessment and Response - 612 713-5336

Links:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Midwest Region