As reported in the Billings Gazette, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently announced a civil penalty of $1 million (U.S.) against Bridger Pipeline LLC for pipeline spill the resulted in the release of 31,000 gallons of oil into the environment. The oil made its way into the Yellowstone River and contaminated City of Glendive’s water supply.


Analysis of the drinking water found benzene at a level three times the limit for long-term exposure risk, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Oil was detected in fish captured near the leak site.


Oil sheens were reported as far away as Williston, North Dakota, almost 100 miles downstream. It was estimated that less than 10 percent of the oil was recovered as part of the cleanup efforts.

The busted oil pipeline was the responsibility of Bridger Pipeline LLC, which is one of many companies operated by True Oil out of Casper, Wyoming. The business had a history of 30 spills and a number of fines prior to the January 2015 incident.


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Hefty Fine for Oil Pipeline Spill in Montana

 

A million $$$ is pocket change for them!!!

 

Yeah just a little slap on the wrist.I got thinking about this a while ago when standing rock brought to the attention these concerns.The oil co's are just going to pass on any of the fines to us when we pay at the pump anyway.They need to hold these guys accountable some other way.Some way where they can't just pass the buck to us.Pipelines are leaking all over the US constantly,every day.Then have the nerve to tell us it's the safest way.I'm like the rest of us.I rely on oil.I just don't think it's too much to ask that we get into our trucks without ruining our land and water while we do it.It's bad enough we dirty the air as we burn it.We don't need to keep compounding the problem.Slapping them on the wrist like this is why pipelines continue to leak every day.