Friday, July 30, 2010
Canadian oil spill company like BP but not
The canadian owners of the pipeline in Michigan that burst share some of the same attributes as BP, another notorious foreign polluter.
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.Another corporation padding its profits by cutting corners and operating on the cheap. But unlike those limey bastards at BP, the canadian owners did show a good side. Their response to the spill was more immediate and hopefully more competent.
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.
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.More concern for the people affected than for the corporate executives, that's a good sign.
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.
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