Table of ContentsIntroductionObjectivesAnalysisRecommendationsIntroductionThe Kalamazoo River oil spill was the worst oil spill in Michigan history. More than 800,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from an Enbridge pipeline into a creek upriver and then flowed downstream, causing devastating effects on surrounding areas and the river's ecosystem himself. It is clear that Enbridge dropped the ball and this whole situation could have been avoided. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The spill received a quick response from government agencies. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as local agencies, to develop a management and restoration plan for the affected area and to inform the community of the process. They published reports on the effects and timing of the efforts. When it comes to the spill, managing the cleanup is simple: remove every last drop of oil from the river. However, managing the after-effects is more complex. Questions that need to be answered include how species in the river can recover and how to prevent this situation from happening again. These are complex questions and have many different potential solutions.ObjectivesThis article addresses the early effects of the Kalamazoo River oil spill, in terms of the environment as well as the economy. From the perspective of different government agencies, it describes the timeline of the management process. Finally, it explores potential management and restoration options to ensure that this situation does not occur again in the future.AnalysisAn interesting note, to begin with, is that the Kalamazoo River oil spill was the very first exposure to oil tar sands (diluted bitumen) in fresh water. This confused scientists because they didn't really know what the short- and long-term effects would be. They looked to previous research on ocean oil spills, as well as the ecological consequences of heavy metals in water (closest research on diluted bitumen) and their effects on the environment to accurately predict what would happen. The immediate effects they observed were essentially those expected. Local residents were concerned about the problem of drinking water. They found that some groundwater was contaminated, but not to a dangerous level by state standards. An immediate economic effect was the recreational value of the river, as it was immediately closed to boating, swimming, fishing, and other water activities that local residents previously enjoyed. It was opened a year later with assurances that the oil was non-toxic and safe to be exposed to. Residents were wary, however, as the river was still dirty and unsuitable for recreation.[1] Additionally, one thing scientists know for sure is that oil is ultimately biodegradable, evaporating and breaking down into different chemicals. The evaporation of the oil released chemicals into the surrounding air and had devastating effects on the health of residents immediately adjacent to the river. The community has reported headaches, dizziness, rashes, fatigue, and even more serious effects such as seizures. Two health reports have been published, one exploring the effects ofexposure to oil vapors and the other examining the effects of immersion in oil. However, people were worried about the long-term effects and demanded that a long-term health study be conducted on their actual health problems over the next few years[2]. Scientists weren't sure if this would have a long-term consequence (fortunately, it didn't). There was some property damage, but not on a large scale, particularly near Talmadge Creek (the original starting point of the spill). Houses stank of benzene and yards were flooded with oil as it bubbled from the sediment to the surface. The Calhoun County Department of Health reported the evacuation of 30 to 50 homes in the area.[3] A few years later, in 2013, the EPA released a report on the updated state of the river. They explained that the surface oil had been completely removed, but there were still about 100,000 gallons of oil trapped in the underlying sediments. This was problematic because they couldn't easily remove it without negatively impacting the ecosystem. Additionally, the sediment moves downstream quite quickly as the river pushes it. This led to concerns about sediment reaching Lake Michigan, where the river ultimately ends.[4] The river's wildlife was obviously badly affected, as many fish and insects were killed by the lack of oxygen, as well as birds covered in oil. It is clear, based on these studies and reports, that the immediate effects of the spill were adverse, but the long-term effects are manageable and not extremely significant. The government's response to the spill was rapid, although the process was lengthy. The Michigan DEQ and EPA immediately teamed up to resolve the issue and clean up the site. On the day of the spill, July 26, 2010, the EPA mobilized a team composed of MDEQ as well as local agencies. Meetings began to discuss cleanup crews and containment methods. They had to move quickly as the oil quickly approached Lake Michigan, but they managed to contain it 80 miles from the tributary that flows into the lake. The EPA knew the public was confused and angry about the whole situation, and it did a good job keeping the community informed. They held numerous public forums to inform people about the status of the efforts and to gather their opinions on the issue. After declaring it a Superfund site, the EPA heavily targeted Enbridge, the oil company responsible for the oil spill. They gave them orders to help clean it up and finance the majority of the expenses. In 2013, it was decided that the surface oil had virtually disappeared, but the oil in the sediments remained. The solution was to dredge the soil. Dredging the ground meant using huge net-like mechanisms to disturb the ground and allow the oil trapped below to bubble up to the water's surface. Once on the surface, it is cleaned as it was initially. After the dredging project was completed at the end of the year, the EPA ended its primary involvement in the site and turned it over to MDEQ.[5] The DEQ's next steps after securing the primary monitoring position were simple: restore the Kalamazoo River to its pre-spill condition. They partnered with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Governor Rick Snyder to facilitate this plan, which primarily involves issuing restoration orders to Enbridge.[6] Restoration efforts continue to this day. The government response was generally up to par. The EPA responded the same day and assembled a team to resolve the problem before.