Rover Pipeline has been served a violation from the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality claiming the company discharged polluted water from its drilling operations into a wetland. Which may sound familiar, because Rover was cited for fouling a wetland in Ohio with 2 million gallons of drilling mud back in April (see Rover Pipeline Accident Spills ~2M Gal. Drilling Mud in OH Swamp). However, the Michigan story is completely different. Water coming from the pipeline project in Michigan (Washtenaw County) appears to contain gasoline in it. The water has a “sheen” and smells of petroleum. The DEQ theorizes that Rover’s work in the area has disturbed existing underground pollution from a now-closed gas station. Water that previously seeped into ground and was polluted by the old gas station is now (according to the theory) making its way into an area wetland. The pollution already existed–Rover didn’t cause the pollution. But the DEQ says Rover work caused the pollution to change locations, so Rover is to blame…
