The Friends Commend Quick Action by Local Hunter to Report Oil Spill in Shiawassee County Drain and Prompt Response by Local, State and Federal Government to Contain and Cleanup the Spill.

A Thanksgiving Day oil spill has been contained and clean-up is now underway. An estimated 300 gallons of oil were found by a hunter in the State Road Drain above Wilkinson Road west of Owosso. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality authorities were notified and Owosso Township Fire Department with help from Shiawassee County Emergency Management were able to stop the flow of oil before it reached the Shiawassee River. The US Environmental Protection Agency is now completing a clean-up. The source of the spill has not yet been identified. The Friends regularly survey the State Road drain below the site of the spill; the most recent Stream Team sampling gave the quality of the tributary an "excellent" rating. Thank you to the observant hunter and the many public officials who worked, and continue to work, to protect the environment of the Shiawassee River. 

Early reporting led to the successful response to contain the oil before it got very far downstream. We commend and encourage such vigilance to protect our resources. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality "PEAS" (Pollution Emergency Alert System) is a 24 hour hotline for reporting spills or polluting releases.  In case of environmental emergency you can call 800-292-4706 and help protect our Shiawassee River.