NTSB: Enbridge (Energy Partners) saw crack 5 years before Kalamazoo River oil spill

[kpete]

Source: Battle Creek Enquirer

NTSB: Enbridge saw crack 5 years before Kalamazoo River oil spill
10:24 AM, Jul 10, 2012


WASHINGTON – The chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board this morning said Enbridge Energy Partners detected the defect that led to a massive oil spill in south-central Michigan five years before it occurred, but failed to do anything about it.

Opening a hearing on the pipeline spill near Marshall in July 2010, NTSB Chairwoman Deborah A.P. Hersman said an investigation into the rupture of the 30-inch pipeline revealed several concerns, including a lack of regulatory oversight and a delay on the part of Enbridge to respond to the spill led to “significant” environmental damage.

She also said that at the time of the spill, Enbridge’s closest oil spill response contractor was out of state and more than 10 hours away.

“Pipeline operators are required to have an integrity management program, which continually assesses and addresses the safety risk on their pipelines, particularly those in high-consequence areas,” Hersman said. “In 2005, Enbridge detected the very defect that led to this failure … Yet for five years, they did nothing to address the corrosion or cracking at the rupture site – and the problem festered.”

Read more: http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20120710/NEWS01/307100003/NTSB-Enbridge-saw-crack-5-yrs-before-rupture?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

[bluedigger]

1. Corporate Death Penalty?

Oh, Hells yeah!

[maindawg]

2. Laws ? what laws?

Can we blame a black guy ? If Nancy Grace doesnt care, is it news? Anyway, Enbridge owns the pols and judges and they have a nice looking apologist to say they are doing everything they can and they are sorry and this will never happen again, and they are conducting an investigation so no need to worry. Everything is fine.Problem solved , go back to watching juge judy now.

[arikara]

5. They own the Canadian government too

at least the part that isn't owned by China... and they are all determined to snake a pipeline full of toxic tar sands dilbit crud through our pristine north country, over a rugged mountain range, a thousand rivers and streams, then through one of the most dangerous sea passages in the world endangering the entire province for the sake of shipping that crap to China.

They will find that this is where the line is drawn. Occupy was nothing compared to the numbers of people that will be in front of the bulldozers if that happens. Including myself.

[JNelson6563]

3. I'd like to get a referendum on public floggings.

We institute public floggings for shit like this and the would put a quick end to it.

Those fuckers.

Julie--very angry Michigander

[Shadowflash]

4. As a resident of Kalamazoo, Michigan

I'm disgusted, but not surprised, at this revelation.

And the republicans wonder why people don't want one of these snaking across the country through all kinds of natural and sensitive areas. It WILL leak eventually, they all do, and the companies who maintain them have no interest in keeping the areas they go through clean.