Flint Township View

Investigators locate source of hazardous spill in Flint River




FLINT — State and local investigators have linked a June 15 petroleum product leak in the Flint River to a chemical company in Flint.

On Friday, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) said that a petroleum-based substance leaked into the river through a sewer outfall near West Boulevard and I-475 in Flint. Investigators said that the leak came from a breach in an underground housing container operated by Lockhart Chemical Company, which is located on James P. Cole Boulevard.

Chemical fingerprinting provided by EGLE confirmed that the product that leaked into the river is identical to substances produced by Lockhart. Officials said that the company has fully cooperated with the investigation and has accepted responsibility for the spill.

Flint and Genesee County officials were first notified about the leak between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on June 15, when a bystander fishing near West Boulevard reported seeing an unidentified oil-like substance seeping into the Flint River. County hazmat crews set up screens and booms around the suspected spill site, while marine salvage vendors operated skimmers to remove thousands of gallons of the substance from the surface of the river.

Officials said that sheens of the contaminant flowed downriver through Flushing and into Montrose but were quickly contained by booms set up in the river along the county line. Crews then scaled back the cleanup zone to an area between Vietnam Veteran’s Park and West Boulevard by Saturday morning.

Authorities said that the leak has been successfully contained to the outflow pipe on West Boulevard.

The Genesee County Health Department has also issued a no-contact order with the Flint River from Stepping Stone Falls in Genesee Township to Barber Park in Montrose Township starting last Wednesday. Residents have been warned to avoid swimming, water sports and fishing in the no-contact zone during the cleanup process.

The no-contact is order is expected to last throughout this week until further notice.

At a June 16 press briefing, EGLE spokesperson Jill Greenberg said that the leak had no impact on Flint’s water system, since the city does not get its drinking water supply from the river.

Officials have not yet identified the product that leaked into the river but have described it as a dark, petroleum-based substance with an appearance and odor similar to motor oil. EGLE representatives also said that the substance is not toxic or caustic and does not pose significant health risks.

However, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said that EGLE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will continue to take water and soil samples in and around the Flint River to ensure that public health is protected long term.

Swanson said that while the spill does not appear to have had a major impact on surrounding wildlife, several turtles and a family of adult geese and goslings were rescued from oil-covered water near the spill and released back into the wild after being thoroughly cleaned.

Underground cameras have also been deployed by EGLE and the EPA to try to pinpoint the exact location of the breach.

Lockhart, which manufactures chemical products such as rust prevention additives and corrosive inhibitors, will be expected to fund cleanup and remediation efforts and could be subject to potential fines and penalties. Swanson said that initial cleanup costs have already topped $1 million.

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neely has also issued a cease-and-desist order for Lockhart as the investigation into the spill continues.