Harrison Township, MI – U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller (MI-10), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, today called on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the T&I Committee to expand their investigation in Enbridge Line 6B pipeline spill, particularly in the areas near the St. Clair River in Michigan. In June 2009, Enbridge’s own assessment of Line 6B discovered over 200 anomalies between mileposts 650 and 753, which include many environmentally sensitive areas and these sections of the pipeline are closer in proximity to the Great Lakes than the spill that occurred at milepost 608, in Marshall, MI, on July 26th. While Enbridge did reduce the maximum pressure of the pipeline to accommodate these anomalies, they have yet to make the necessary repairs.
“The rupture of this pipeline and the spilling of millions of gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River is troubling and shows additional potential dangers exist to other vital natural resources in our state. It is vital that the T&I Committee play an important role in uncovering what caused this incident and shaping new policies that will prevent similar incidents in the future,” Miller said. “Just as the Committee has responded to the Deepwater Horizon incident with investigations, hearings and legislative remedies, I believe the Enbridge spill can be the catalyst that results in a safer pipeline system in our country.”
“There is great deal of evidence indicating problems with the Line 6B other than where the rupture occurred. While we were fortunate the spill of July 26th did not reach the Great Lakes, we would likely not be so fortunate should the pipeline rupture in sensitive areas near Lake St. Clair or even under the St. Clair River which provides the drinking water for millions of our citizens, and therefore I am calling on the PHMSA to ensure that the Line 6B is thoroughly inspected immediately. The events in the Gulf of Mexico have demonstrated how quickly devastation can occur if we are not proactive in preventing spills in the first place, and so we must make every effort to make certain this does not happen again” said Miller.
In addition, Congresswoman Miller calls on the PHMSA to share the inspection results with state and local emergency officials in order to better prepare for an incident:
“Awareness of the risks associated with the pipeline will assist these responders in managing their assets so they can quickly and appropriately respond to an incident and limit potential damage to our environment and community. I also believe a review of emergency notification protocols is necessary to ensure that all available resources can be brought to bear on a potential spill,” Miller concluded.
Along the Kalamazoo River in Marshall, MI, the Enbridge Line 6B pipeline resulted in approximately one million gallons of crude oil being spilled into the river.
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Letters to PHMSA and Chairman Oberstar