North Dakota Oil Pipeline Spills An Estimated 176,000 Gallons

State officials just reported yesterday that about 150 miles from where thousands have been protesting the Dakota Access pipeline, a pipeline in the western part of North Dakota spilled more than 130,000 gallons of oil into a creek. The Associated Press reports that the company has declared 36 other spills since 2006, with a total of more than 320,000 gallons of petroleum products.

From the article:

“In all, the Belle Fourche pipeline lost 4,200 barrels of crude oil, or more than 176,000 gallons, before operators shut it down, according to state Department of Health spokeswoman Jennifer Skjod. Most of the oil flowed into the Ash Coulee Creek near Belfield, Skjod said.“

It’s unclear what caused the break, which a landowner discovered on DECEMBER 5th.

(Also, can we talk about why we are just hearing about this now?)

The company uses monitoring technology designed to detect leaks, but it may have failed because of “the intermittent nature of the flow” of oil through the pipeline. With North Dakota’s blizzard last week, efforts to assess the extent of the spill and its impact on the environment, were impeded. At this time they don’t know when or if it will be operational again.

More from the article:

“The area is west of where the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies have fought construction on the Dakota Access pipeline, which had been expected to cross under Lake Oahe, a plan that is now on hold. The Sioux have argued that a pipeline rupture could contaminate the water supply and damage sacred lands.”

And with good reason.

We will keep you updated as more info becomes available. Remember, our fight at the DAPL pipeline isn’t over yet- for this very reason.

Water is life.

XO- Erin