Media Release
Official EPA Response to Enbridge Spill in Michigan
The Enironmental Protection Agency has released an official response regarding the spill. Click the link below for information regarding the EPA's role in the cleanup.
http://www.epa.gov/region5/enbridgespill/index.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeffrey M. Hadley
Chief of Public Safety / Director of Emergency Management for the City of Kalamazoo
(269) 337-8123
hadleyj@kalamazoocity.org
City of Kalamazoo Response to Kalamazoo River Oil Spill
Kalamazoo, Michigan, July 30, 2010 – On July 27, 2010, Governor Jennifer Granholm declared a state of disaster for Calhoun County and the affected areas along the Kalamazoo River downstream of Talmadge Creek, which includes parts of Kalamazoo County. It is the City’s responsibility to protect the health and safety of our residents, its assets and water systems as well as its natural habitat and environment. In response, the City of Kalamazoo invoked its Emergency Preparedness protocols working with City of Kalamazoo’s Department of Public Services to assess the potential impacts of this event.
City assets most impacted by the spill include Water Pumping Station #39 (WPS #39) located approximately 200 feet from Morrow Lake. Public Services staff has taken action to eliminate any possibility that contaminants from the oil spill could impact drinking water quality provided to the customers and continue to perform additional water samplings of the distribution system to provide assurance that water quality is maintained. As an additional precaution, the Wastewater Treatment facility, located on the Kalamazoo River just north of Paterson at Harrison Street, has discontinued using plant final effluent or non-potable water in its treatment process. The plant has the capability to use City water for this purpose and has already made the change.
Residents should know that the oil spill has caused the City to make modifications to our normal operating procedures, but fortunately, the redundancy and flexibility designed into the City’s water and wastewater systems has allowed for these changes without sacrificing the level of service we provide and our ability to supply clean, safe drinking water to all of our residents.
According to City Manager Collard, “The potential impacts of this environmental contamination within the City of Kalamazoo has been diminished the preparatory and precautionary actions taken by City staff to continue our duty to protect our residents, preserve our natural resources and public facilities.
For updated information regarding the Kalamazoo River Oil Spill, visit:
http://twitter.com/MichEMHS
http://twitter.com/MDNRE
http://twitter.com/MichDeptofAg
http://twitter.com/GovGranholm
Kzoo River System Hazardous Spill Response Plan
Kzoo River Oil Spill Summary Report
