Company at Center of Mich. Oil Cited for Problems

A Canadian company at the center of a huge oil spill in southern Michigan has a history of pipeline problems, including leaks, an explosion and dozens of regulatory violations.

This July 28, 2010 photo provided by the State of Michigan shows what Michigan officials say is a...

This July 28, 2010 photo provided by the State of Michigan shows what Michigan officials say is a sheen of oil on Morrow Lake in Kalamazoo County. The lake is a key point where officials had hoped to stop oil from a spill into the Kalamazoo River that has coated wildlife with oil. (AP Photo/State of Michigan)

(AP)

Enbridge Inc. or its affiliates have been cited for 30 enforcement actions since 2002 by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which is the U.S. Department of Transportation's regulatory arm.

In a warning letter sent Jan. 21, the agency told the company it may have violated safety codes by improperly monitoring corrosion in the pipeline responsible for the massive spill Monday in Talmadge Creek. The creek feeds into the Kalamazoo River, which eventually flows into Lake Michigan.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 1 million gallons may have spilled into the waterway, but Enbrige estimates the spill at closer to 820,000 gallons. Cleanup efforts could take several weeks, possibly two months, officials said.

The EPA says the oil had traveled 25 miles downstream, but state officials estimate it has traveled 35 miles. Gov. Jennifer Granholm warned of a "tragedy of historic proportions" should it travel another 80 miles and reach Lake Michigan, but EPA officials don't expect that to happen.

Steve Wuori, an Enbridge executive vice president, said the company was doing maintenance all along the pipeline this year, but the section at the leak site was not scheduled for replacement.

Enbridge CEO Patrick D. Daniel again apologized Thursday to the residents "for the mess that we have made." Hundreds of workers and contractors went to work on the oil Thursday with more than 12,000 feet of containment and absorption boom, 14 skimmers, 43 vacuum trucks and a number of tanker trucks, excavators and other trucks, he said.

Health officials went door-to-door, telling Calhoun County residents in about 30 to 50 homes near the spill to evacuate because of air quality concerns. Others were told to use bottled water for drinking and cooking.