GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — As the investigation continues into the oil spill on the lake near the Bend Area Open Space, residents who frequent the area wondered what happened.
“It’s not good, you know. We’re out here catching fish,” said Kevin Anderson who fishes, kayaks and canoes in the lake. “A lot of people are out here catching fish and taking them home and eating them. You know, so, not good.”
On Tuesday, FOX 17’s drone, the SkyView-17, flew over the lake and captured images of the oil which looked like it was coming from the lake and flowing east because of the wind.
Wednesday, the SkyView-17 recorded video of the oil again, which appeared to still be coming up from the lake but this time is was moving onto the western shore.
A look at the oil near the Bend Area Open Space in Ottawa County.
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) April 12, 2023
EGLE and County officials say it’ll take over a week to cleanup. So they’re asking people to stay away until then. // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/fH1uUH4hNa
“When you came through the barricade about halfway through there it’s really strong,” said Rick Fisk about the strong smell of the oil. He cycles in the area frequently. “When you’re right in between the two bodies of water, it’s really strong.”
Lou Hunt, director of the Ottawa County Emergency Management team, said that it all started earlier in the week when a kayaker spotted oil on the water. The next day, the Georgetown Fire Department, the Emergency Management team, a hazmat crew and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) were out there investigating.
“We’ve run additional UAV flights since and we don’t think we have anymore an active leak. But we do in fact have some oil that’s made its way to that shore,” Hunt said during a Zoom interview. “The water line in that area has been going down as the Grand [River] has been as well, and it’s depositing some of the oil up on the shore. So, we’re going to have cleanup crews come in.”
Hunt said that it was difficult on Monday to drive on 12th Avenue, which is the road that leads to the area. It was submerged under two feet of floodwater. However, they used “large equipment” from the nearby gravel company to get across and begin their investigation.
“Any oil would in fact be hazardous,” Hunt said. “I don’t think it’s anything that you want on your skin. So, it’s definitely something that we want to get cleaned up as soon as possible.”
Hunt said the cleanup will last at least a week. So, officials are asking people to stay away from the area.
The local residents FOX 17 spoke with said they’ll frequent another lake for the time being.
“ I don’t know how long it takes for fish to die from this, you know, to see what the damage was,” Anderson said. “But I think I’m going to be fishing somewhere else when it comes to eating my fish I guess.”
