By: Associated Press//April 20, 2018//
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has sued the company he says damaged electric cables and oil pipelines in a Great Lakes channel by dragging a tugboat anchor across them.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in Ingham County Circuit Court against VanEnkevort Tug & Barge Inc. of Escanaba, Michigan.
Two cables were damaged on April 1 and released about 600 gallons of mineral-oil insulation fluid into the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
Twin oil pipelines operated by Enbridge Inc. were dented.
The suit seeks a civil fine and reimbursement of the state’s costs, plus steps to prevent a similar event in the future.
VanEnkevort declined comment beyond an earlier statement acknowledging one of its vessels had been in the area the day of the incident.