By AP
TRAVERSE CITY, MI –
Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan says U.S. officials should talk with Canada about the safety of natural gas drilling in Canadian waters of Lake Erie.
Stabenow said Wednesday she'd like Canada to ban drilling in Erie. It's prohibited on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes, although Michigan allows a few wells drilled under the lakes from land.
Canada has 500 offshore gas wells in Lake Erie and 23 that run under the lake from shore.
Both nations prohibit offshore oil drilling in the lakes.
Stabenow says U.S. officials should seek assurances Canada could deal with an emergency like the Gulf of Mexico spill.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources says there are strong rules and tests to prevent such disasters.