Ann Arbor, MI -- After visiting the Kalamazoo River today to see the impact of the oil spill and response efforts along with Rob Sisson, President of Republicans for Environmental Protection, Rick Snyder issued the following statement:

"Today, I traveled to Battle Creek to see firsthand the impact that the oil spill has had on the Kalamazoo River and how the cleanup effort is going. It was both shocking and saddening to see the damage it is having on the area where I grew up,” said Snyder. “As we begin to learn more and more about how the response efforts were delayed by Enbridge’s failure to notify the proper authorities immediately, and the cause of the spill remains unknown, I am calling on the Attorney General to begin coordinating a full investigation into the incident that will not impede the cleanup progress. We must hold Enbridge accountable for their lack of oversight in this incident and ensure that the proper precautionary measures from both the private sector and government agencies are in place to prevent future spills.”

“While I am encouraged by the doubling of Enbridge’s workforce and additional booms, state and federal officials must continue to work to provide every resource possible for the response efforts and do everything within their power to ensure that oil does not continue to flow farther downriver or into Lake Michigan. Our waterways are not only critical to the quality of life of our citizens, but to our economy and the future of our great state.”

Rick's plans for the environment call for Michigan to have consistent and reliable strategies to efficiently and effectively deal with environmental threats. The four step process that should serve as the framework for protecting Michigan for future generations includes 1) Prevention, 2) Early Detection, 3) Rapid Response Mechanism, and 4) Management.

Rick Snyder was recently endorsed by the Michigan Chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection and was the first GOP candidate for Governor to be endorsed by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. For more information on Rick's environmental plans, please visit: http://www.rickformichigan.com/vision-plan/policy-central/protect-michigans-environment.