Michigan takes envy about the Gulf States to new heights (or lows)

Michigan has been quite envious of the gulf states and has been suffering quite an inferiority complex among other maladies - Florida, Texas especially given there employment rates, housing price, better economies, less governmental corruption.

But sometimes Michigan takes envy a bit to far.

The gulf had an oil spill, so by golly Michigan has to get one too!
Fumes from 840,000-gallon oil leak creep over Battle Creek

An estimated 840,000 gallons of oil leaked into a creek Monday that feeds into the river.

Area media were reporting that odor from the spill hung heavy over Battle Creek this morning.

"It is unknown at this time how far the spill has traveled and exactly what areas have been affected. It is assumed due to the current level of the Kalamazoo River and the speed of the current that the entire Emmett Township area and beyond has been affected," according to an advisory issued today by the Emmett Township Public Safety Department.

Wayne Hoepner, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, said oil from the spill could reach Lake Michigan as early as Sunday, although numerous variables could affect the flow rate.

Michigan's inferiority complex will sadly continue - even though we got an oil spill, our oil spill is much smaller than the Gulf states.

Of course, Senator Levin is promising federal assistance.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., issued a statement today indicating he is “deeply concerned about the effects of the oil spill near Marshall, including the environmental impact and the disruption to residents and businesses. It is also deeply worrisome that the oil from the spill has made its way into the Kalamazoo River.”

Levin said his office has been in contact with federal agencies “to make sure that those carrying out the cleanup have all the resources they need to complete the cleanup job as quickly as possible.”

How many rounds of golf it will take before the Feds do something is open to question though.

Maybe Michigan will beat the Gulf state's Obama inaction record and have something to boast about?

Update: Michigan is taking this envy thing way to far and there's no need to compete with the gulf on this, really - the spill is now up to more than 1 million gallons.