Up North Progressive

On April 16, 2018, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office issued a letter to Vanenkevort Tug and Barge of Escanaba, Michigan, the state would seek civil charges against the company for “potential liability for discharge of injurious substances to waters of the State.” On April 1, 2018, 550 gallons of liquid dielectric fluid used for cooling submerged power lines leaked into the straits. The company owning the power lines, American Transmission, didn’t notify the Coast Guard of the leak until April 2, 2018. The fluid leaked for days afterward.

In a letter sent by the Attorney General’s office to Vanenkevort Tug and Barge dragged an anchor through the straits over the submerged power cables and Embridge Line 5:

Upon information and belief, on or about April 1, 2018, a vessel owned and operated by Vanenkevort passed through the Straits of Mackinac with an anchor deployed. This constitutes a violation of law in and of itself, as the Straits of Mackinac are a “no anchor” zone. Evidence indicates that this vessel’s anchor struck and damaged a pair of power cables owned and operated by American Transmission Company (ATC), which caused a release of mineral oil into the Straits. Evidence further indicates the release of mineral oil continued for days.

The letter further explains the release of the petro chemicals into the water caused damage to the waters, fish, and aquatic life.

The civil liability charges are not the only penalties Vanenkevort could potentially face. Criminal charges, both state and federal could also be brought against the company. In a statement to the press, Schuette said,

“The vessel ignored markers in the channel and clearly identified hazards on navigational charts that make clear that an anchor should not be deployed in this area of Straits. Allowing a large anchor to drag along the bottom lands in the Straits has resulted in violations of state law, and we will hold Vanenkevort accountable.”

If found liable, Vanenkevort faces a fine of $25,000 per day of violation, plus other fees and costs to investigate the damages and harm done to the straits.

More than ever it’s imperiative for Enbridge Line 5 to be permanently closed in the Straits of Mackinac. Vanenkevort’s anchor not only dragged across American Transmission’s power cables, but the pipeline full of oil under the Mackinac Bridge. The Attorney General’s office admits both cables and pipeline suffered damage on April 1st.

Only recently since Bill Schuette announced he’s running for Governor in Michigan has he paid any attention to the potential threat Enbridge Line 5 poses to the Great Lakes. His office ignored multiple demands to shut the pipeline down before devastating damage is done to the straits. It’s only a matter of time until it happens, and it has happened with the coolant leak that happened earlier this month.

It’s been a bad spring for protecting Michigan’s water. The MDEQ granted Nestlé Waters their permit it pump 60 percent more water out of the ground in Osceoloa County, and now human negligence caused a serious hazardous chemical leak at the Straits of Mackinac, just as predicted by those fighting to protect Michigan’s water, but ignored by Michigan Republicans in favor of corporate interests for years. Time for Attorney General Bill Schuette to do more than pay lip service, and permanently shut down Embridge Line 5.