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EPA responds to Enbridge oil spill in Romeoville

Release Date: 09/09/2010
Contact Information: Contact Information: Anne Rowan, 312-296-0883, rowan.anne@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10-OPA103

CHICAGO (Sept. 9, 2010) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emergency response personnel were deployed to Romeoville, Ill., this afternoon to investigate and respond to an oil spill from a pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership. The company notified the National Response Center about the incident at 1:20 p.m. today.

“EPA, state and local agencies mobilized immediately to respond to this incident and we are taking steps to minimize damage to the environment and to protect the DesPlaines River,” said U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Susan Hedman. "We have many questions about this incident and we expect prompt answers from Enbridge."

Initial assessments indicate that crude oil from the pipeline flowed through sewers into a retention pond at 719 Parkwood Avenue near Route 53. The pipeline has been shut down.

“This is the second Enbridge pipeline spill this summer in the Midwest," said Hedman. "EPA is still actively managing the clean up of an Enbridge pipeline spill that caused major damage to the Kalamazoo River in late July."

EPA – and Enbridge, at the Agency’s direction – will take action to contain and clean up the Romeoville oil spill. Other responders include the U.S. Coast Guard, Illinois EPA, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, Village of Romeoville, Romeoville Fire Department and Will County Emergency Management.

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 designates EPA as the lead agency responsible for responding to inland oil spills.