Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, pledges to remain in constant communication with the Environmental Protection Agency and hold an oversight hearing to monitor cleanup efforts by the EPA and health hazards posed by the oil spill.
Upton made the following statement today in response to nearly a million gallons of oil that spilled into a Marshall-area creek that has now reached the Kalamazoo River into Kalamazoo County. Upon learning of the pipeline leak, Upton contacted Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, Doug Ballotti, Region 5 Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Captain Fred Midgette, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Coast Guard 9th District Command, Cynthia Quarterman, Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as state, county, and local officials on the ground concerning the coordinated response to the spill.
“Each and every one of us is all too familiar with the devastation wrought by the BP gulf disaster, and now we have a nightmare here in our own backyard. The mistakes and missteps that sabotaged the response and clean-up in the gulf cannot happen here in southwest Michigan.
“This is a critical matter of the public health. Without delay, we must stop and contain the oil before it reaches Lake Michigan. We must clean up the Kalamazoo River, and work to protect area residents and wildlife from long-term contamination. We cannot allow this million gallon oil spill to infiltrate our fragile Great Lakes ecosystem.
“I have been in contact with local authorities and federal authorities all day long to guarantee those in charge of the clean up have access to appropriate federal and state resources necessary. It is also vital that the company responsible for the spill bear the costs of the cleanup and compensate those who have suffered damages related to the spill.
"I will continue to work aggressively to ensure there are no delays at the federal level and that the emergency response in our community is swift and decisive. The time to contain the oil and protect local families is now.”
Upton was a member of the conference committee for the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which called for the creation of a Great Lakes contingency plan to respond to such a disaster. The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for the location and staging of oil response teams throughout the Great Lakes and assured Upton they stand ready to assist.
