NHBP Tribal members kayak Kalamazoo River to mark 15 years since oil spill

MARSHALL, Mich. — Members of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) are marking 15 years since the Kalamazoo River oil spill with a 10-day kayak trip from Marshall to Saugatuck.

Five Tribal members launched Saturday from Saylor’s Landing, retracing ancestral routes to honor the river’s recovery. The trip will end Oct. 13, Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

“This year marks the 15th anniversary of the devastating oil spill that not only impacted our people ,but all life forms that depend on the river,” said Ariel Boonstra, NHBP tribal council treasurer.

The 2010 Line 6B pipeline rupture released nearly a million gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River, one of the largest inland spills in U.S. history.

Tribal leaders say the paddle symbolizes continued stewardship of Michigan’s waterways for future generations.