I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has announced more than $2.4 million in fines against Enbridge for violations of federal pipeline safety regulations that date back to 2006.
Last month the Enbridge 6B pipeline that crosses from Griffith, Indiana to Sarnia, Ontario ruptured in Calhoun County, dumping a million gallons of tar sands crude into a tributary of the Kalamazoo River.
The announcement of fines for past safety violations comes as the DOT’s Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration considers a second Enbridge proposal to restart the line that ruptured here.
On Nov. 28, 2007, two Enbridge employees were killed when repairs to an Enbridge pipeline on their Lakehead system in Clearbrook, Minn. caused leaking crude oil to ignite.
An extensive accident investigation conducted by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) found Enbridge failed to safely and adequately perform maintenance and repair activities, clear the designated work area from possible sources of ignition, and hire properly trained and qualified workers. PHMSA’s year-long investigation led to issuance of a notice of proposed violation to Enbridge and a subsequent hearing, prior to this final order.
PHMSA is also issuing two additional final orders to Enbridge today totaling $57,800 in civil penalties for violations identified following inspections at facilities in Houma, La. in 2006 and Cushing, Okla. in 2009. During inspections in Houma, PHMSA discovered failures by Enbridge Offshore Gas Gathering, LLC, to properly monitor for internal corrosion and perform valve maintenance procedures resulting in a civil penalty of $29,000. Inspections at the company’s Cushing Terminal facility resulted in a civil penalty of $28,800 for failing to properly inspect in-service breakout tanks.
Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) noted that the fatal 2007 incident in Minnesota took place on the same line that runs through Michigan.
“This represents a disturbing pattern in the way Enbridge operates and maintains its aging pipeline system,” Schauer said. “The company’s history of violations underscores the need to have all the facts about the Enbridge spill in Marshall. We must insist that all appropriate tests and corrections occur before this pipeline is allowed to reopen. Every possible precaution must be taken to ensure the integrity of the line to protect the health and safety of our communities.”
According to PHMSA the civil penalties must be paid within 20 days unless Enbridge chooses to appeal the agency’s findings.
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