Illinois Files Suit Against Enbridge Over Oil Cleanup

The Illinois attorney general filed a lawsuit against Enbridge Inc’s U.S. affiliate Enbridge Energy Partners Thursday, as the state seeks to have the company pay the costs incurred cleaning up an oil pipeline spill last month.

Attorney-General Lisa Madigan and James Glasgow, the state’s attorney for Will County, filed an eight-count complaint against the company.

The complaint alleges that the Sept. 9 spill of about 6,100 barrels of oil from Enbridge’s 670,000 barrel per day Line 6A in Romeoville, Illinois, caused danger to the public health and welfare, violated the water and air pollution laws and created a public nuisance.

The court also agreed to a request for an interim order requiring Enbridge to inspect water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, private wells and groundwater within a half mile of the site to ensure all oil from the spill has been cleaned up.

Enbridge said it has co-operated with all regulatory authorities since the spill and has nearly completed all the requirements imposed by the U.S. Environmental Agency after the incident.

“By filing this action, the Illinois attorney general’s office is simply protecting the state’s interests and insuring that Enbridge will follow through with addressing any concerns that the state may have arising out of the Line 6A incident,” Gina Jordan, a spokeswoman for Enbridge, said in an email.

The suit seeks repayment for the costs incurred by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for its oversight of the spill’s cleanup and remediation.

(Reporting by Scott Haggett; editing by Rob Wilson)