Spartan Stores Employees Volunteer to Help with Kalamazoo River Oil Spill

Friday, Jul 30, 2010

On Monday, July 26, 2010, a 30-inch oil pipeline in Marshall sprung a leak and released oil into the Talmadge Creek, which feeds into the Kalamazoo River. According to published reports, pipeline owner Houston-based Enbridge Energy Partners said the pipeline was shut down and isolation valves closed off almost immediately after its discovery, but not before more than 800,000 gallons flowed into the creek. The underground pipeline moves light synthetic, heavy and medium crude oil northeast about 1,900 miles from Griffith, Indiana through Michigan and just over the border to Sarnia, Ontario.

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Oil spill containment and clean up efforts are now underway, and officials are hoping to stop the flow of the contaminants at the Morrow Dam in Comstock Township. The Kalamazoo River Superfund site stretches 80 miles from the dam downstream to the mouth of the river in Saugatuck, which

flows into Lake Michigan.

Federal and state officials are working around the clock to contain the spill, assess the damage, and begin cleanup efforts, which include treating affected game and wildlife. Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spartan Stores has donated dish soap, gloves, and cleaning supplies to help clean up affected animals, and on Wednesday, employees of Spartan's Family Fare store in Marshall began volunteering to assist with cleaning animals. All volunteers are under the strict supervision of local veterinarians. Tom Tidwell, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, warned that all wildlife clean up must be done under the direct supervision of trained professionals as it can be dangerous, and doing so without supervision may be against the law.

Source: PR Newswire