Mich: Kzoo River oil sediment not risk

MARSHALL, Mich. (AP) - Michigan health officials say there's no long-term health risk or above-normal cancer concern for people coming in contact with submerged oil in the area of a pipeline rupture that fouled a southern Michigan waterway.

The Michigan Department of Community Health released its final health assessment Monday related to oil in sediment along the Kalamazoo River and a tributary. It comes from a July 2010 leak of more than 800,000 gallons of heavy crude near Marshall in Calhoun County.

The assessment says repeated skin contact with the sediment or eating small amounts of it could cause temporary health effects such as skin irritation.

Officials say they took samples from 19 locations identified as having moderate to heavy amounts of submerged oil.

The 30-inch pipeline extends from Griffith, Ind., to Sarnia, Ontario.

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On Tuesday, US Rep. Fred Upton will visit the site where Enbridge is preparing to replace that pipeline, a $1.3 billion project that is expected to double the capacity to a half-million barrels each day.

24 Hour News 8 contributed to this report.