By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
A public interest law firm is preparing to file a lawsuit against the Canadian owners of a pipeline that ruptured and leaked hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River.
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The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center in Detroit sent a legally required formal notice to Enbridge Incorporated of its intentions to sue. The notice says the citizen lawsuit seeks damages under the federal Clean Water Act.
Nick Schroeck is the director of the center.
"Really what we want to do is make sure that there's an amount of money that's appropriate to handle all of the cleanup costs, restoration, wildlife rehabilitation, that type of thing," he says.
Schroeck says the company should have to put up enough money to restore the river to its pre-spill condition. A company spokeswoman says she cannot comment on pending litigation. More charges and civil actions could also be filed by government agencies once a coordinated state and federal investigation of the spill wraps up.