Pipeline Firm Offers To Buy Homes Near Oil Spill
A company whose pipeline ruptured and dumped hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into a southern Michigan waterway has offered to buy up to 200 homes in the affected area.
Enbridge Inc. chief executive Patrick Daniel said Tuesday the Canadian company will buy homes for sale before last month's spill at their full list prices. It also will buy other homes in the 30-mile-long zone at their appraised values before the spill.
Daniel told reporters the idea came from residents' concerns their homes were losing value. The company says it believes the homes have retained their value and the offer should keep speculators out.
Hundreds of people affected by the spill packed into a high school in the community of Marshall Monday night.
It was the first public meeting since a ruptured pipeline dumped an estimated 1-million gallons of crude oil into the river last week.
At the meeting, Daniel updated concerned residents.
"We're not activly cleaning oil from the riverbanks, not just the river. Other Enbridge people have gone door-to-door in the affected area, talking with residents at their homes," Daniels said.
"Our intent is to continue to meet their needs and to address their concerns. And, we really want to keep an open dialogue," he said.
Daniel said learning an exact caused of the rupture could be months away.
The oil flow has been stopped and government officials say it's been contained in the stretch of the river from Marshall westward past Battle Creek.
Farmers near the Kalamazoo river are now under an irrigation ban as a result of the spill. The EPA has been cleared to spend up to $13-million on clean-up efforts.
(Copyright 2010 WWJ Radio. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report)
