Environmentalists are insisting the Canadian petroleum company that discharged 42,000 gallons of oil solvent into the St. Clair River pay a $1.4 million fine and spend $6.5 million to create a water monitoring system for the river.

The Macomb Water Quality Board voted 9-0 Tuesday night to send Imperial Oil of Sarnia, Ontario, a resolution seeking the $7.9 million payment.

If the company does not respond to the demand within 60 days, the matter will be turned over to Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga. Marlinga told The Detroit News that he would consider filing suit to make Imperial Oil pay, if they don’t repspond.

The legal basis for the proposed fine is found within the U.S. Federal Water Pollution Control Act, which prohibits boaters from discharging chemicals into state waters. Under that law, boaters can be fined $1,000 for every gallon discharged.

The Imperial Oil plant dumped about 42,000 gallons of methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone – chemicals are used to produce lubrication oil – into the river on Feb. 1 when equipment failed.

Source: The Associated Press