Exxon oil spill in Mont. river prompts evacuations
Jul 3, 2011 2:45:00 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 3, 2011 2:45:00 GMT -5
Exxon oil spill in Mont. river prompts evacuations
By Matthew Brown, Associated Press
Posted 1h 4m ago |
LAUREL, Mont. — An ExxonMobil pipeline that runs under the Yellowstone River in Montana ruptured Saturday and leaked hundreds of barrels of oil into the waterway, causing a 25-mile plume that fouled the riverbank and forced municipalities and irrigation districts downstream to close intakes.
Oil from a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline is seen in the Yellowstone River and along its banks near Laurel, Mont., Saturday July 2, 2011. The pipeline break was contained early Saturday morning but the spill stretched over dozens of miles.
The break near Billings in south-central Montana led to temporary evacuations of hundreds of residents along a 20-mile stretch. Cleanup crews deployed booms and absorbent material as the plume moved downstream at an estimated 5 to 7 mph.
The river has no dams on its way to its confluence with the Missouri River just across the Montana border in North Dakota. It was unclear how far the plume might travel.
"The parties responsible will restore the Yellowstone River," Mont. Gov. Brian Schweitzer said.
Rest of story at link:
www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2011-07-03-3983044716_x.htm
By Matthew Brown, Associated Press
Posted 1h 4m ago |
LAUREL, Mont. — An ExxonMobil pipeline that runs under the Yellowstone River in Montana ruptured Saturday and leaked hundreds of barrels of oil into the waterway, causing a 25-mile plume that fouled the riverbank and forced municipalities and irrigation districts downstream to close intakes.
Oil from a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline is seen in the Yellowstone River and along its banks near Laurel, Mont., Saturday July 2, 2011. The pipeline break was contained early Saturday morning but the spill stretched over dozens of miles.
The break near Billings in south-central Montana led to temporary evacuations of hundreds of residents along a 20-mile stretch. Cleanup crews deployed booms and absorbent material as the plume moved downstream at an estimated 5 to 7 mph.
The river has no dams on its way to its confluence with the Missouri River just across the Montana border in North Dakota. It was unclear how far the plume might travel.
"The parties responsible will restore the Yellowstone River," Mont. Gov. Brian Schweitzer said.
Rest of story at link:
www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2011-07-03-3983044716_x.htm
