MIDLAND -- The effects of the oil spill in Calhoun County are being felt all across Mid-Michigan.
The commercial and tourism industry is now suffering as clean-up efforts continue.
NBC25 talked to an economics professor on how the spill is impacting the economy, and found out some positive news.
As more than a million gallons of oil continue to creep towards Lake Michigan, and residents in Calhoun County scramble to protect their property from damage, there is some good news.
"If they have successfully contained it, and do the cleanup fairly quickly, the amount of damage for property and the tourism industry will hopefully be minimal," said Richard Ebeling, an Economics Professor for Northwood University.
Richard Ebeling is an economics professor for Northwood University. He says because of the oil spill in the gulf and now here in Michigan, many people think accidents are a major problem for the oil industry, when in fact accidents have decreased by nearly 50% since 1999.
"So their safety record and clean-up record in general for the oil industry is actually on a positive trajectory," said Ebeling.
The massive clean-up effort underway is also putting Mid-Michigan back to work, but Ebeling calls it an economic waste.
"Think about a boy coming by and breaking a window of the store, yes the window has to be replaced, but now you have to waste time, labor, and effort to replace the window when you could have been doing something else," said Ebeling.
As for Michigan’s future, Ebeling says he doesn't foresee the Enbridge oil spill having any long-term effects on Michigan’s economy as a whole. In fact, it may actually increase tourism on Michigan’s eastside.
"So Saginaw, Bay City, Mackinac, could benefit form the inconveniencies of Kalamazoo," said Ebeling.
For updates on the clean-up effort, the state of Michigan has launched a new web site with response efforts, video and photos at www.michigan.gov/oilspill.
