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Enbridge Oil Spill in Michigan's Kalamazoo River
News Releases/ AnnouncementsDecember 15, 2011 - Story: Natural Resource Trustees Continue to Assess Damage Related to 2010 Spill in Kalamazoo River July 25, 2011 - News Release: Natural Resource Trustees Continue to Assess Damage Related to 2010 Spill in Kalamazoo River September 1, 2010 - FAQs from Michigan DNRE on Hunting August 9, 2010 - MEDIA ADVISORY: First Waterfowl From Kalamazoo River Oil Spill to be Released Wednesday August 2, 2010 - Media Availability: First Rehabilitated Wildlife Released Today in Natural Wetlands around Binder Park Zoo Role in Michigan Oil SpillWhat is the Service's role in Spill Response?The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) role in the Kalamazoo/Enbridge Oil Spill Response is to provide technical advice on natural resource and wildlife issues to the Unified Command (UC). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also working in partnership with other federal and state agencies to collect and analyze evidence of impacts to natural resources and wildlife as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). In the initial stages of the Enbridge oil spill response, Service and Michigan DNR specialists were among the first wave of responders to recover oiled wildlife. Service biologists and law enforcement agents responded to calls and picked up wildlife until the Enbridge assets were mobilized. The Service provided technical assistance to minimize oil spill response impacts to wildlife, specifically trust resources, and continues provides oversight in partnership with Michigan DNR at the wildlife rehabilitation facility. What is the Service's role in addressing the damages caused by a spill?In addition to their spill response activities, the Service works in partnership with other federal , state, and tribal governmental agencies to collect and analyze evidence of spill impacts to natural resources, including wildlife, as part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). What is NRDA?Federal and state statutes authorize federal, state, and tribal governments to seek compensation on behalf of the public for natural resources injured or destroyed when areas becomes contaminated with oil or is impacted by oil spill response. NRDA is the process to do that. The goals of NRDA are two-fold:
   
Who are the Trustees for this site?The Trustees for this site includes 6 State and Federal agencies and 2 Tribes. They are:
What do Trustees do and what are some specific things Trustees have done at the site?Trustees work in partnership with one another to achieve the goals of NRDA in part, by seeking compensation from the Responsible Party (i.e. Enbridge Energy). Within days of the spill, Trustees began collecting data in order to understand the impact from this spill to habitat and biota. Trustees have collected data on water, fish, benthic macroinvertebrates, mussels, vegetation, sediment, oiled wildlife recovery and rehabilitation, recreational closures and impacts of the response actions. Trustees continue collecting data to identify, quantify short-term and long-term impacts to natural resources. Trustees are working cooperatively with Enbridge to collect the data. By planning studies and collecting data in integrated teams, both sides can be equally confident that in the results. Future PlansWith the response still ongoing and conditions on the ground still evolving, the trustees do not have a timeframe for when an assessment will be complete. Once impacts are fully identified, trustees will commence restoration planning. The process involves identifying projects that benefit the same or similar resources that were injured by the spill. The public will have an opportunity for review and comment upon the draft assessment and restoration plan. Update from Wildlife Recovery CenterThe wildlife recovery center in Marshall, MI was closed because such a large facility was not needed as the number of oiled wildlife had declined in 2011. The new facility in Battle Creek is smaller while still meeting the needs of oiled wildlife. Wildlife recovery and rehabilitation operations are still underway and will continue until at least September 2011. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources continue to provide oversight. Turtles with only a light sheen are being cleaned in the field. Turtles moderately-heavily oiled are brought back to the wildlife recovery center as they require a greater effort to clean. There have been no other types of wildlife (e.g. birds, mammals, etc) collected in 2011. Enbridge HotlineIf anyone sees dead or alive wildlife impacted by the oil, they should call the Enbridge Oil Spill Hotline at 1-800-306-6837. The Hotline operators will convey the information to trained crews so that the crews can recover the animal. Summary of Wildlife Activities 7/28/2010 through 7/13/2011*
* Only reptiles have been collected during 2011. Data summary provided by Stantec, working under contract to Enbridge, and still subject to agency review. View past reports and more information...               
About the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)Associated DocumentsStatement of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, on the Enbridge Pipeline Oil Spill near Marshall, Michigan, before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (.pdf file) Helpful LinksEPA - www.epa.gov/enbridgespill Questions? Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page. Media LinksFirst Bird Release - WDIV Detroit Southern Michigan faces long recovery after oil spill - Toledo Blade Chasing geese in Marshall - Battle Creek Enquirer In Search of Oiled Geese - Battle Creek Enquirer Contacts Public Hotline / Report Oiled Wildlife: 800-306-6837 |
Last updated: December 15, 2011
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, One Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111-4056
612-713-5360
E-mail: MidwestNews@fws.gov
