Enbridge Kalamazoo R. Oil Spill Settlement Greeted by Flood of Criticism

"In public comments following the pipeline company's $61 million fine and billion-dollar cleanup, few believe the money serves as a deterrent to the industry."

"After considering and rejecting nearly all public suggestions for penalizing Enbridge over the largest ever oil spill into an inland U.S. waterway, federal authorities are asking a judge to approve a settlement negotiated with the Canadian pipeline company.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency are seeking the court's approval to assess a $61 million fine and require more than $100 million in safety improvements by the company.

If approved, the settlement would close the books on the federal government's oversight of the massive 2010 oil spill that fouled a 40-mile stretch of Michigan's Kalamazoo River. The company's $1.2 billion cleanup effort took nearly five years."

David Hasemyer reports for InsideClimate News February 10, 2017.