LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered Michigan's environmental agency to review its pollution-inspection procedures and says her administration is reviewing if criminal charges can be filed after the discovery of a green substance along Interstate 696 in suburban Detroit.
She called the ooze “very concerning” Monday.
She says the situation shows the need for “broad reforms” to address underfunding and understaffing at the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Whitmer is urging lawmakers to better fund the agency and to pass legislation ensuring polluters pay for cleanup.
The substance is groundwater contaminated by industrial waste called hexavalent chromium from a closed-down electroplating shop in Madison Heights by the name of Electro-Plating Services.
The chemical oozed from the basement of the company and entered the the freeway's storm sewer and sewer clean-out between the business and the service drive.
Electro-Plating Services has already been fined $1.5 million and it's owner received one year of prison for illegally storing hazardous waste.
The 13 ON YOUR SIDE contributed to this reporting.
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