FLAT ROCK, Mich. – The Flat Rock situation is still considered to be an active leak. As the investigation continues, there’s still no idea about what the substance is or where it’s coming from.
“It’s a complicated issue,” EGLE spokesperson Jill Greenberg said. “We’ve got a really great team looking at all angles on how to get to the source of this.”
Read: EPA, EGLE investigate Flat Rock chemical leak
Officials from EGLE, EPA and the city of Flat Rock are putting their heads together to find an answer for what kind of substance may be in a backchannel of the Huron River.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has collected one sample last night, two today,” Greenberg said. “Those will go out to be analyzed.”
This is considered the investigation and stabilization phase.
Helicopter footage in the video player above shows a vacuum truck removing the gasoline-scented sheen from the water on Wednesday (Feb. 23) morning. The video shows how booms are still being used to keep the substance contained to one part of the backchannel.
“We’re confident that the sheen hasn’t moved back into the Huron River,” Greenberg said.
So far, the biggest obstacle is identifying the source of the leak because of its presumed location.
“It’s really important to get to the bottom of what this is,” Greenberg said. “The true challenge is that it’s under water. That’s where it appears to be at this point.”
Test results of the samples are supposed to be back in the coming days.
