CLYDE S VANENKEVORT

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Tug caused oil spill

The 'Clyde S. VanEnkevort' spilled an estimated 373 gallons of red dye diesel into the Lake Superior near the Northshore Mining Co. pellet plant in Silver Bay on May 29, 2024. The spill was contained to a small area that same day and cleanup was complete by June 4 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The investigation found the fuel release occurred during an internal tank transfer within the tug portion of the integrated tug and barge. Initial investigations found no signs of stressed vegetation or wildlife either. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency continued to closely monitor impacts to environment, wildlife, and marine life. The cleanup required vacuum trucks, containment booms, absorbent pads and skimmers, among other equipment. The work included safely separating the two vessels as well as containment, recovery, and cleanup of the spilled fuel. The tug and barge has since returned to service.

Unified Command approves plan to cap, seal severed utility cables in Straits of Mackinac

The Unified Command approved a plan developed by the American Transmission Company, contracting with Durocher Marine and T&T Subsea, to cap and seal the two utility cables in the Straits of Mackinac severed by the "Clyde S. Vanenkevort". On Apr 26 a tug, barge, and remotely operating underwater vehicle commenced operations to cap the ends of the two severed ATC utility cables. One by one, the ends of severed cables were to be lifted to the surface of the water, to solder and affix a permanent cap. The caps will be wrapped with the existing outer steel armor wires of the cables and banded with steel clamps. Once the ends of the cables have been soldered, capped, and sealed, they will be laid on the bottom of the Straits in their original position. Afterwards, concrete mats will be placed over the ends of the two cables to prevent them from moving. During the course of the operation, a back pressure will be applied to the shore side ends of the cables to prevent any additional spillage of mineral oil into the Straits of Mackinac. To date, 612 gallons of mineral oil have been extracted from the two severed cables and the effort is ongoing. Together, the two cables hold a maximum of 800 gallons of mineral oil. Additionally, during the ROV assessment of the ATC cables, deenergized and retired 46kV cables owned by Consumers Energy were also found to be damaged. The cables were installed in 1956 and, deenergized and retired in 1990. Consumers Energy reported to the Unified Command that there was no free flowing fluid within their retired cables. Chemical testing of the material in the cable will be conducted to gauge any risk to the environment due to the damage. A representative from Consumers Energy has joined the Unified Command in Mackinaw City, to coordinate a plan to respond to their damaged cables. Emergency managers from Mackinaw, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties have been notified of the discovered damage to the Consumers Energy cables. The Unified Command continued to communicate with other utility companies in the Straits to ensure that all steps are taken to assess and mitigate any further damage to active and retired infrastructure. Wildlife biologists from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services program, personnel from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and Coast Guard Marine Science Technicians continued to survey the area, on the water, from shore and from the air, to look for any signs of pollution or impacted fish and wildlife. No impacts to the environment or wildlife have been identified. Report with photo: http://coastguardnews.com/unified-command-approves-plan-to-cap-seal-severed-utility-cables-in-straits-of-mackinac/2018/04/26/

Dragging anchor caused damage to oil and electrical lanes

The damage to underwater oil and electrical lines in the waterway connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan leading to an insulation-fluid spill on Apr 1, 2018, was caused by the "Clyde S. Vanenkevort", dragging its anchor, the Michigan attorney general announced on Apr 17. Attorney General Bill Schuette said he notified Vanenkevort Tug and Barge that he’s planning civil action against the company because of the damage in the Straits of Mackinac. The vessel ignored markers in the channel and clearly identified hazards on navigational charts that make clear that an anchor should not be deployed in this area of Straits. Two electric cables leaked 600 gallons of insulation fluid containing mineral oil and benzene. Enbridge Inc.’s twin Line 5 pipelines carry crude oil and liquefied natural gas. The pipelines were dented but the integrity of the lines weren’t compromised. Under Michigan law, causing such a leak is punishable by a civil fine of up to $25,000 a day of the discharge, as well as damages for harm to natural resources, attorney’s fees and court costs. Those responsible for the anchor deployment or maintenance also could face criminal charges or other legal liability. Enbridge announced in the afternoon of Apr 16 that it has restarted its Line 5, which was shut down over the weekend. The company blamed a power outage. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan had pushed for a temporary shutdown because of high winds and heavy currents in the Straits of Mackinac. Line 5 carries 23 million gallons of oil daily between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario. The segment that crosses the 5-mile-wide straits linking Lake Huron and Lake Michigan is divided into two side-by-side pipes that were laid on the lake bottom in 1953. The ruined power cables are owned by American Transmission Company. The Coast Guard and other agencies have been monitoring the straits by boat and air but have reported no sheen or other evidence of pollution. The American Transmission Company was slated to deploy sonar scanning technology and a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to better assess damage to the affected utility cables this week, as soon as weather conditions no longer pose a danger to responders. ATC contracted with Durocher Marine and T&T Subsea to provide tugs, a barge, and an ROV to assess the damage to the utility cables. A tug retrofitted with sonar side-scanning technology will locate the damage in the utility cables, and the ROV will obtain underwater, visual imagery of the cables. The images obtained will provide the Unified Command with the information needed to determine how best to deal with the damaged cables. Throughout the weekend, responders worked shoreside and continued mineral oil extraction operations. To date, more than 300 gallons of mineral oil has been extracted from the utility cables. In addition, wildlife professionals from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) Wildlife Services program conducted wildlife surveillance from land and did not observe any impacted birds or wildlife. When weather conditions no longer pose a danger to responders, USDA-APHIS wildlife professionals, MI DEQ environmental experts, and Coast Guard marine science technicians will resume efforts to survey the area from vessels and airplanes to identify any impacts to the environment. No impacts have been identified so far.