Enbridge moves to repair Michigan pipeline

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A decision by Canadian pipeline company Enbridge to start repairing an oil pipeline under Michigan's St. Clair River is encouraging, a lawmaker said.

Enbridge announced last week it completed planning for work on repairing a 3,450-foot section of the Lakehead pipeline system under the St. Clair River.

U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., whose district lies near the river, said she was "very encouraged" by the Enbridge action.

"Enbridge understands that the community has an expectation for them to perform their work, replace the existing pipe with a new one quickly and with safety as their utmost priority," she said in a statement.

Line 6B of the Enbridge-operated Lakehead oil pipeline system ruptured in southern Michigan in July, spilling around 20,000 barrels of oil into area waterways.

Miller in August raised concerns about a 12-inch dent in a section of the Lakehead system pipeline that runs under the St. Clair River. Enbridge executives downplayed the risk at the time.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said in a restart plan for Line 6B that Enbridge needed to replace the damaged St. Clair leg within a year.