When over 9,000 gallons of crude oil, brine, and hydrocarbon condensate leaked into a sensitive wetland in the heart of the Pigeon River Country State Forest, it didn’t make national headlines—but it should have. This remote and ecologically vital area, often called “The Big Wild,” suffered damage that experts are still assessing. And now we know the spill was more than four times larger than Lambda Energy first reported.

This isn’t just about one accident. It’s about a pattern of risk, negligence, and outdated oversight. Federal inspectors have already warned Lambda Energy about their failure to detect leaks at other facilities. So why are they still operating with minimal transparency inside some of Michigan’s most treasured public lands?

Wetlands aren't dumping grounds. They filter our water, store carbon, and shelter wildlife. When oil and other chemicals contaminate them, the damage is long-lasting—and often invisible at first. While crews report the oil has been scraped and berms were built, chloride-contaminated water continues to seep into collection sumps. Come winter, cleanup slows to a crawl as the ground freezes. We can’t let that be the end of the story.

We, the undersigned, demand:

• A full public release of groundwater and surface water test results from the spill site.'
• Meaningful penalties and independent oversight for Lambda Energy, whose own leak detection system failed.
• Stronger regulations to phase out oil and gas pipelines in protected state forests, starting with an immediate review of all existing permits in Pigeon River Country.
• Permanent buffer zones around Michigan wetlands where oil and gas operations are strictly prohibited.

This spill may have happened quietly, but our response shouldn’t be.  Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again.