Parts of Kalamazoo River may reopen for recreation

Summer recreation may return to parts of the Kalamazoo River. Michigan health officials are studying the effects of an oil spill last summer. The spill dumped more than 800-thousand gallons into the river near Marshall.  If reports are positive, the no-contact order on areas of the Kalamazoo River may be lifted. The order banned swimming, boating and fishing.

Linda Vail Buzas is director of Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services. She says she’s been pleased with the cleanup efforts.

“There’s been a lot of work going on. It’s gone out of the public eye since shortly after it happened but they have been working on it continuously since the original spill. The work has never ceased.”

Buzas says she expects to know the environmental status of the river in early June.