About 50,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the river. Residents in three towns have been told not to drink tap water.
Montana DEQ
About 50,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the Yellowstone River in Montana, officials said, forcing government officials to truck in drinkable water and causing the governor to declare a state of emergency.
Bridger Pipeline LLC, which operates the line near Glendive, reported a decrease in pressure on Jan. 17, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Company flew over the river and saw a sheen of oil.
Residents said they could smell oil coming off the water. The Grand Forks Herald reported that the federal "Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement Monday evening that elevated levels of hydrocarbons have been found in Glendive's water supply."
"Municipal water systems downstream from Glendive on the Yellowstone have been notified by DEQ of the Bridger Pipeline system failure, including Sidney and Williston, ND. The municipal water systems are not experiencing any issues, but they are having their water tested to make sure," officials said.
In late 2013, the company was cited by the U.S. Department of Transportation for not following the proper reporting procedures, the Wall Street Journal reported. No fine was issued.
Here's Governor Steve Bullock's emergency order:
Here's a map of where the spill is:
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1KXFpUt
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