2.1.1 Narrative

The spill protection area, considered the source area to the dam at the end of Morrow Lake, has been geographically divided into Divisions.  There are 5 divisions with Division A being the source area and Division E being the westernmost area with active protection points and monitoring.

Also, the Divisions are split into two Branches, with the East Branch housing Divisions A and B.  Divisions A and B were the most severely impacted.

River Branch East

In Division A, U.S. EPA and MDNRE Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) entered the Hot Zones in Division A and conducted air monitoring for VOCs, LEL and benzene.  All levels within the Hot Zone were under 5.0 ppm.  All levels outside the Hot Zone were below 0.5 ppm.  The RP is putting in sheet piling around the pipeline leak site and has initiated the installation of a new collection point east of the pipeline. 

In Division B,  U.S.EPA personnel accompanied MDNRE OCI on an entry into the Hot Zone within Division B locations to observe RP oil collection activities.  Air monitoring was conducted with an Ultra RAE.  All levels within the Hot Zone were under 5.0 ppm and all levels outside the Hot Zone below 0.5 ppm for benzene. 

River Branch West - U.S. EPA 

U.S.EPA provided oversight and air monitoring activities at Boom Locations ranging from 5.5 miles to 8.9 miles downstream of the first protective structure near the spill origination point.  During these activities, active air monitoring was conducted with multiple instruments for health and safety verification.  No health and safety-related issues were observed, and no actionable air monitoring results were seen from any of the air monitoring locations. 

In Division C at location C0, additional boom was deployed downstream near Easterly Dibble Drive. A heavy sheen was noted bank to bank in this area during reconnaissance on 31Jul2010.  Boom change out was conducted at the 15 Mile Road bridge.

In Division D at location D2.5, additional absorbent boom was deployed.  U.S. EPA continued to adjust deployment positions of containment and absorbent boom to maximize natural collection areas; and continued oil/water collection in areas of accumulation.

In Division E at location E3, U.S. EPA deployed containment boom at East Michigan Street bridge and continued with reconnaissance activities and additional boom deployment as needed.  An alternative type of absorbent boom is being tested at 35^th Street bridge.

Shoreline Branch  

At multiple locations in Division C, RP personnel and contractors repositioned existing boom, deployed additional absorbent booms and pads, and conducted shoreline water flushing and removed oil contaminated debris.  This Branch is initiating SCAT team deployment on 3Aug2010.

Monitoring Branch

A total of 36 surface water samples, 8 sediment samples, 14 potable water samples were collected.  Air quality samples to be analyzed for H₂S, VOC’s and benzene were also collected today.

Enbridge

River Branch East

In Division A, the RP installed sheet piling to isolate and protect the pipeline break area to allow for removal of damaged section and repair of the line and to protect an adjacent undamaged pipeline.  Other work conducted in Division A included activities and mobilization of equipment and resources to continue and expand source material removal.

In Division B, RP personnel conducted shoreline cleanup in the vicinity of deployed oil skimmers, installed 50’ of absorbent boom at B1.5, and replaced saturated absorbent boom throughout Division B.  Continuous oil recovery and skimming operations occurred throughout Division B today.

River Branch West

In Division C, there was oil collection at all active sites and boom was repositioned at location C3 to improve effectiveness.

In Division D, absorbent boom deployment, oily debris collection, and sheen/oil recovery were conducted..

In Division E, adjustments to boom deployed at E2.2 were made to improve it's effectiveness, and sheen/oil collection occurred at Location E.5.  Absorbent boom was also removed and replaced at this location.

Note: Due to resident concerns, additional absorbent boom was added near the town of Augusta.

Air Ops Branch – Five over flights were conducted to detect stranded oil, to document collection points, and to review boom deployed to evaluate if adjustments are needed.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

Approximately 70,000 feet of boom, skimming equipment, and other equipment to support oil collection and removal have been deployed at thirty five locations along Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Recovered material is being temporarily stored in frac tanks on site.  Tanker trucks are transporting the material to a facility owned by the RP with available storage in Griffith, Indiana.  To date, approximately 13,500 barrels of oil/water have been transported to the Enbridge facility in Griffith, Indiana, from the approximate 43,000 barrels that have been collected.

U.S. EPA and RP contractors, with the support of the U.S. ARMY 51st Civil Support Team, are monitoring and sampling air quality along the river and throughout multiple residential areas. Monitoring equipment being utilized includes UltraRAE, PPB RAE, Multi RAE, Draeger CMS Chip Reader, AreaRAE and Hapsite portable GC/MS.  A heavy emphasis is being placed on specific monitoring for benzene as it is a recognized contaminant of concern for this response.

Samples were collected for analysis at an off site laboratory from surface water, river and lake water columns and private drinking wells along the length of the impacted areas of the Kalamazoo River and areas downstream of the Morrow Lake Dam.  The Mud Puppy boat (U.S. EPA owned asset) also collected samples at five sites. Three types of samples are being collected by the Mud Puppy at each location, and are; 1) sediment, 2) water column, and 3) surface water.

US Fish and Wildlife Service is working with the Wildlife Branch to address wildlife impacts. A rehabilitation center for oiled wildlife has been established. A total of 47 geese, 4 ducks, 6 muskrats, 30 turtles, 2 swans, and 2 domestic geese have been recovered and are being cleaned and rehabilitated.

The USCG Atlantic Strike Team is on scene to provide assistance with RP and contractor oversight. USCG District 9 staff are also on site and have been integrated into the response effort by U.S. EPA.

NTSB and USDOT-PHMSA are on site conducting an investigation of the pipeline incident and are working with the appropriate State, Local, and Federal agencies. Enbridge has been given permission from NTSB to excavate the pipeline break.  Due to high water tables and saturated conditions, excavation collapses have hindered progress.  U.S. EPA will coordinate with USDOT-PHMSA and NTSB to ensure pipeline repair activities and the environmental and health and safety considerations are accounted for.

The voluntary evacuation issued by Calhoun County Health Department in consultation with Michigan Department of Community Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry remains in effect for several residences located immediately downstream of the spill site along the Talmadge Creek, up to its confluence with the Kalamazoo River.  This voluntary evacuation was based on review of air monitoring results for benzene around oil collection areas. Sixty one residences were given notices.  Twelve residences evacuated, twenty seven chose to stay and twenty two did not answer.  An additional five families from outside the evacuation zone chose to evacuate.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Enbridge is the RP.

On 27July2010, USEPA issued an Administrative Order under section 311(c) of the Clean Water Act to Enbridge.  Enbridge is actively addressing all the deliverables of the Order including but not limited to; drafting an overall site work plan; health and safety plan; and sampling and analysis plan.

A second planning cycle was conducted on 01Aug2010 and an Incident Action Plan (IAP) was completed.  The Environmental Unit (EU) has completed a Decision Tree for evaluating real-time air monitoring data of benzene concentrations for determining if evacuation of residents should be recommended.  A parallel Decision Tree has been prepared to guide field staff for specific notifications that should occur based on the sampling results.  Both documents have been submitted for review and approval by Unified Command.  Decision criteria for re-occupancy of evacuated areas have been drafted and will be finalized by 08Aug2010. 

The TAGA field laboratory bus arrived at the EPA Incident Command Post .  The EPA EU will meet with ERT staff and the TAGA chemist to extend the Sampling and Analysis Plan for the use of this asset.  EU provided information to ERT to facilitate entry of all available data into the Scribe database.  All private wells that have been sampled are non-detect for contamination.  MDCH is leading the collection of health complaints and health surveillance data covering the impacted areas.  The EU is preparing presentation materials for the public meeting to be held Monday evening at the Marshall High School.

2.2.2 Issues

The RP has been informed that a Superfund site (PCB cleanup) is occurring on the Kalamazoo River Downstream of Morrow Lake (approximately 35 river miles downstream).  The RP has been advised to make all efforts necessary to ensure the oil does not reach the Superfund Site. The City of Plainwell, Michigan, has proposed a strategy involving boom diversion and oil collection as a contingency in the event oil impacts the Superfund Site.

U.S. EPA is supporting twenty four hour operations.

The U.S. EPA EOC in Region 5 Chicago Headquarters was activated and staff assisted with ordering personnel and making small purchases.  

Below is the response equipment deployed as reported by Enbridge.

2.4.1 Narrative

An interagency agreement (IA) between U.S. EPA and USCG has been established for the incident to transfer $13 million of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund dollars to Region 5 U.S. EPA for availability to this response effort.  This funding is what is actually available to U.S. EPA at this time for covering response costs, and the ceiling amount is the portion of these funds with USCG National Pollution Fund Center (NPFC) agreement for expenditure in support of the response. The current NPFC issued ceiling (based on U.S. EPA requests) approved towards that funding amount is $6 million.  The current estimated burn rate is approximately $5 million every 14 days.  The original request that was made for the IA fund was for $20-25 million for the project, which means it currently stands at one half of the identified and estimated amount which may be needed for this project.  Additional funds beyond the $13 million in place will be required if in fact the project ceiling needs to be raised above the IA established fund amount.  U.S. EPA estimates that a ceiling increase will be required in the seven days from the current $6 million allotment.

Additional U.S. EPA assets mobilized to site include a dedicated contracting officer to assist with purchasing and asset acquisitions and tracking.

US Fish and Wildlife, ATSDR and the USCG have each received a PRFA to cover their activities.

The RP is currently financing the cleanup operations.

U.S. EPA has mobilized a full time safety officer (SO) to the site for this incident  The SO is in charge of, and is conducting, review of the Site HASPs.   The safety officer worked with the RP and U.S. EPA contractors towards the completion of a unified HASP. 

USCG provided additional safety personnel.  U.S. EPA continues to work with and direct Enbridge on-site safety officer and serves as assistant safety officers for Divisions A and B, reporting daily to the IMT SO.

The Liaison Officer was dispatched to work in the State Emergency Operations Center in Lansing. An additional Liaison Officer will arrive in Marshall, MI on 02Aug2010.

2.7.1 Public Information Officer

The PIO developed a News Release entitled EPA Solicits Innovative Ideas and Technological solutions for Enbridge Oil Spill Press Advisory.

U.S. EPA PIO Anne Rowan is in place at the Marshall, Michigan ICP.

A public meeting is planned for Monday evening.  In preparation for the meeting, details for the following topics are being developed; spill estimates, U.S. EPA notice of deficiency, updates of the information on the size and quantities of boom deployed; and updates on the number of barrels of oil and water collected.  Consideration of the anticipated questions which may be raised at the public meeting is also occurring so that U.S. EPA can properly, honestly and adequately answer the publics inquiries.

Community Involvement Coordinator

A community meeting is scheduled and has been planned for Monday, 02Aug2010 at 7 pm.The location will be the Marshall High School.

Cooperating Agencies

Allegan County Emergency Managment
American Red Cross

Augusta Police Department

B&B Fire Safety Emergency Response

Calhoun Conservation District

Calhoun County Commissioners

Calhoun County Drain Commission

Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office

Calhoun County Treasurers Office

Calhoun Conservation District

Calhoun Greenation District

City of Battle Creek, Michigan

City of Marshall, Michigan

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Fredonia Township Fire Department

Huron Potawatomi

Kalamazoo County Office of Emergency Management

Kalamazoo Public Safety

Kalamazoo Watershed Council

Marshall Township Government and Fire Department

Marshall Police Department

Natural Resource Group

National Transportation Safety Board

Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA

U.S. Department of Transportation

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA

 Congressional Presence

State Representative Jase Bolger

State Representative Kate Segal
State Representative Ken Kurtz

State Representative Phil Browne

State Representative Phyllis Browne

State Representative Bob Geuctk

State Representative Tanya Schuitmaker

State Senator Mike Nofs

U.S. Congressman Mark Schauer

U.S. Senator Carl Levin

U.S. Senator Stabenow