The National Wildlife Federation has granted Enbridge Energy a Certified Wildlife Habitat designation for an area that was polluted by one of the nation’s largest inland oil spills.
Thirteen years ago the Enbridge Line 6B pipeline spilled more than 840 thousand gallons of oil into a wetland that feeds Talmadge Creek near Marshall, Michigan. That creek is a tributary of the Kalamazoo River which was also polluted by the crude oil.
Recently, Enbridge applied for and received a Certified Wildlife Habitat designation for restoring habitat along a portion of that creek from the National Wildlife Federation.
In a news release, Enbridge said, “Lauding its transformation into a viable quality habitat in which box turtles, raptors, and other wildlife can thrive, a portion of Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River in Calhoun County, MI, now has a coveted designation.”
In an email, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) verified that it issued the certification.
“It’s better to avoid these disasters in the first place,” it added.
The NWF also said if Enbridge really cared about wildlife and people, it would shut down Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. That’s the 70 year old dual pipeline sitting on the lake bed connecting Lakes Michigan and Huron. It’s been damaged by a boat anchor once and then a cable from a barge operated by an Enbridge contractor also caused some damage.
The company contends it's "working hard" to operate the pipeline safely.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered Line 5 to be shut down two years ago. It’s still operating while the dispute works its way through the courts.
Enbridge is among Michigan Radio’s corporate sponsors.
