AP PHOTO/MATTHEW BROWN
Cleanup workers cut holes into the ice on the Yellowstone
River near Crane, Mont. on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015 as
part of efforts to recover oil from an upstream pipeline
spill that released up to 50,000 gallons of crude.
1/31/15
As ice continues to hamper cleanup efforts in the oil
spill into the Yellowstone River, opponents of the
Keystone XL pipeline are noting that the Poplar
pipeline that ruptured measures 12 inches in
diameter, while the contested pipeline would
be 36 inches across.
Experts are learning from this spill, the first in a
quarter century into icy waters,National Geographic
noted. They learned that it could in fact contaminate
drinking water, even though the water is collected at
a deeper level than the oil supposedly was. They
learned that there had been enough changes in
the riverbed to expose sections of the pipe, even
though it had originally been buried several feet
below it.
The ice both helped and impeded cleanup,
stopping the flow of oil on the one hand but
forcing cleanup crew to drill holes in it to reach
the oil, even as they remained tethered to their
equipment lest they fall through into the frigid
river. Meanwhile, benzene and other cancer-causing
chemicals were found in drinking water, and
residents of Glendive, Montana had to truck
in bottled water. (? who is making money from
the bottled water? A company that is out-right
purchasing natural aquifers from the Natives
& other groups?)
RELATED: Pipeline Rupture Spills 55,000
The spill raised questions in Congress about
the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry
800,000 barrels per day from the Alberta oil
sands to the Gulf Coast, given that it is three
times the diameter of the ruptured Poplar line.
The Senate voted on January 29 in favor of a
bill to force Keystone approval, legislation that
President Barack Obama has said he will veto.
RELATED: Senate Passes Keystone; Obama
It also shone a light on potential pitfalls of
Arctic drilling, National Geographicsaid.
In general, spills have been increasing since
“U.S. Department of Transportation records
show at least 73 pipeline-related accidents in
2014 — an 87 percent increase over 2009,”
AP said. “Because of a lag in reporting by
companies, the 2014 figure still could rise.”
However, Keystone XL supporters used this as
fodder to buttress their case, saying that the pipes
that are rupturing are old, and that Keystone would
be buried much deeper and contain newer technology.
"To the extent that we have problems with spills,
it's with aging infrastructure," North Dakota
Democrat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said, according to
AP. "Keystone is going to be state-of-the-art."
(Woman sounds like one who has been paid off)
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/01/31/yellowstone-river-oil-spill-raises-concerns-about-keystone-xl-impact-158968
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