Enbridge declines Kalamazoo River tours for residents in spill zone

Almost a year after the worst oil spill in state history coated 37 miles of the Kalamazoo River watershed with tar sands crude, the company responsible for the mess still controls the river — and some residents would like to get a look at what’s going on.

On July 25, 2010 the Enbridge Energy pipeline that connects Griffith, Indiana and Sarnia, Ontario ruptured next to a tributary to the Kalamazoo River in Marshall. Close to 900,000 gallons of diluted bitumen or Canadian tar sands crude spilled into the river. The oil coated plants and animals and produced intense fumes that sickened residents and prompted local health officials to recommend evacuation. The Calhoun County Health Dept. announced that the public was not to use the river for recreation, irrigation or any other purpose.

Since then the company, under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency supervision, has deployed thousands of workers and containment booms, oil skimmers, absorbent booms, vacuum trucks and temporary dikes in an effort to contain and remove oil from the river.

Last week when Enbridge sponsored a group of students from the Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center on a visit to the river and some locals said they’d like the same opportunity.

“While I fully support, and am excited to hear, that local students will be among the first non-responders to ride along the Kalamazoo River since the tar sand spill, I am disappointed, as numerous residents, including myself, have been requesting a tour since March of this year,” said Marshall resident Susan Connolly.

Enbridge — which is being sued by some residents and is expected to be criminally indicted on federal charges related to the spill — dismissed the idea of allowing residents to tour the river.

“While we will provide tours as needed to regulatory agencies, local and elected officials, and other community leaders, we are not hosting boat tours of the river for the general community,” Enbridge spokesman Jason Manshum said. “As you know, cleanup and remediation efforts are still ongoing – our work is not yet done. So at this time, there are no plans to use the boats and personnel we have onsite for specialized cleanup to begin offering tours.”

At this point, he said, there is a ban on all public usage of the river, including by property owners.

Calhoun County Health Officer James Rutherford said that while he can authorize visits to the river, as a practical matter any tour would have to be sponsored by Enbridge since the company is the only party with the resources to safely move people safely through the area.

“I can’t force them to take residents,” he said.

Meanwhile people who live along the edges of the cleanup zone are skeptical about the restoration of the river and report health problems, bitterness and anxiety about the future.

Deb Miller, who has 600 feet of river frontage in the Ceresco Dam area, said she still smells chemicals from the spill and misses watching people canoeing and doing other summertime activities.

“We will not be able to allow my grandson to throw his fishing pole into the river again this year — nor will the dog roam our property or go anywhere near the river,“ she said. “We are not sure how many more years before they will be able to — we still have oil sheen at our banks. While some areas are reported to be ‘in pretty good condition‘, I can assure you the Ceresco Dam area is not.”

Miller said that she worries about the people she’s seen swimming near the dam in defiance of the posted ‘no contact’ orders.

“I do not believe Enbridge is too busy with the clean up to offer tours,“ said Michelle Barlond Smith who lives along the river in the Baker Mobile Home Park in Battle Creek. “They may be too busy with media relations trips to offer it to the residents … but not with the clean up.”

Michelle Barlond Smith said that while she was initially concerned about the impact of the spill on wildlife, she now worries about the impact on her own family and her neighbors, saying she has witnessed “… breathing problems, skin problems, eye problems, headaches, chemical sensitivity, heart problems, liver and kidney problems, and memory problems. I have watched my neighbors’ health deteriorate and a few have died.”

“The chemicals in the tar sand oil and the chemicals to dilute it are dangerous,” she said. “I have learned that big corporations are not always honest in their dealings and will take advantage of those that they can.”

Rutherford said that this week his office will release a projected schedule for reopening the river.