Great Lakes Echo (http://greatlakesecho.org/tag/tar-sands/)
Last week, as much as 1,600 gallons of oil spilled into Lake Michigan from the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, 20 miles from Chicago. After a week-long cleanup, authorities say they have found no further trace of spilled oil in the area. However, the political ramifications of the spill are likely to remain long after this incident.
As the tar sands industry continues to grow, a pressing issue is finding ways to transport the crude oil to midwest refineries. Some are hoping to ship tar sands across the Great Lakes, while others fear another disaster like the Kalamazoo spill.
Current State checks in monthly with Great Lakes commentator and journalist Gary Wilson for updates on environmental stories from around the basin. For today’s Great Lakes Month in Review, we’re focusing on petcoke piles and Asian carp.
Investigators recently reported that Enbridge Inc. failed to adequately respond to a 2010 oil spill into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River. Activists at the state capitol protested the company’s plan to replace and expand the ruptured pipeline.