(FARGO, ND – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JULY 9, 2014) – Since May 21 there have been at least 14 publicly reported incidents involving oil and saltwater spills throughout western North Dakota. Twelve (12) of those incidents were the results of pipeline leaks or pipe and valve failures, with yesterday’s pipeline spill on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation releasing brine (saltwater) into the Missouri River. Details of these spills, as provided by the North Dakota Department of Health, are as follows:

Brine spill near Mandaree on the Fort Berthold Reservation in McKenzie County

Date of Report: July 8, 2014

Amount: As of today, it is unclear how long the pipeline has been leaking or how much has been released into the Missouri River. The leak is near the water system intake for the community of Mandaree.

Cause: Pipeline leak

Brine spill in Bottineau County

Date of Report: June 18, 2014

Amount: 250 barrels of brine impacting soil and surface water of West Cutbank Creek

Cause: Leaking pipeline

Oil recovery fluid spill near Marmarth in Slope County

Date of Report: June 16, 2014

Amount: 2,000 barrels of water used for enhanced oil recovery

Cause: Leak in the flow line

Oil and produced water spill near Ray in Williams County

Date of Report: June 12, 2014

Amount: 20 barrels of crude oil and produced water

Cause: Valve assembly failure

Brine spill near Arnegard in McKenzie County

Date of Report: June 11, 2014

Amount: 180 barrels were released, nearby soil was impacted.

Cause: Pump leak

Oil spill near Alexander in McKenzie County

Date of Report: June 7, 2014

Amount: 300 barrels of crude oil

Cause: Trenching operation damaged pipeline

Oil spill near New Town in Mountrail County

Date of Report: June 7, 2014

Amount: 690 barrels of crude oil

Cause: Underground pipeline leak

Brine spill in Bottineau County

Date of Report: June 6, 2014

Amount: 1,000 barrels of brine released; approximately 100 barrels escaped into nearby wetland

Cause: Failed pipe fitting

Oil and produced water spill near Ray in Williams County

Date of Report: June 12, 2014

Amount: Twenty (20) barrels of oil and produced water

Cause: Valve assembly failure

Brine spill west of Wildrose in Williams County

Date of Report: May 27. 2014

Amount: 200 barrels of brine; impacted cultivated land

Cause: Leak in value or piping construction

Brine spill near Crosby in Divide County

Date: May 27, 2014

Amount: 425 barrels were spilled; 15 barrels escaped onto cultivated land

Cause: Leak in a valve or piping construction

Petroleum product leak into Lake Sakakawea Tributary in McKenzie County

Date of Report: May 23, 2014

Amount: Ten (10) to 20 barrels reached the Sand Creek, which drains into Lake Sakakawea.

Cause: Pipeline leak

“It is shaping up to be a summer of spills in western North Dakota,” said Tyler Axness. “These almost weekly spills are reminders that state government is failing in its most basic obligation to protect our land and water and to ensure the responsible development of our natural resources.”

Todd Reisenauer adds: “What’s really disturbing to me is that so many of these spills appear to threaten underground water systems and water supplies for humans and livestock. The Mandaree spill is really concerning. We now have a leak into the Missouri River near a community’s water system intake.”

Both candidates argue that this “summer of spills” highlights the ongoing failures of the PSC to properly oversee and manage North Dakota’s pipeline infrastructure, thus confirming the need to implement their V.I.P. (Verification of the Integrity of Pipelines) Plan, which consists of four basic elements:

1) Conduct a Pipeline Audit: The PSC will pursue a pipeline audit of all pipelines in the state that will be used to develop a new pipeline infrastructure map.

2) Designate the PSC as the Single Point of Responsibility: The PSC will ask the 2015 Legislature to consolidate jurisdiction of all pipelines and place authority with the PSC.

3) Improve Partnerships to Maximize Efficiency: The PSC will work to improve partnerships with the federal government, private industry, landowners, and municipalities in order to simplify, modernize, and make more efficient the current oversight process.

4) Fully Exercise the PSC’s Authority: The PSC will fully exercise its existing jurisdiction and authority as provided in the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC 49-02), which vests the PSC with the oversight of “pipeline utilities engaged in the transportation of gas, oil, coal, and water.”

Current PSC members Julie Fedorchak and Brian Kalk strongly oppose implementing the VIP Plan.

• On June 12, Fedorchack told the Bismarck Tribune: “There isn’t a need, in my opinion, to go out and audit all the pipelines.”

• For his part, Kalk had previously told the 2013 North Dakota Legislature that the current regulatory system of five state agencies and the federal government is a “quagmire.” Kalk said: “There is such a quagmire of responsibility for pipelines, it’s a challenge when an incident occurs and who is responsible to do the investigation to see what happens.”

• Last month, Kalk appeared on KFGO. In an interview on ‘News & Views’ Kalk stated: “We don’t know where all the pipelines are.”

“Commissioner Kalk admits the system doesn’t work but he and Commissioner Fedorchak oppose our common sense plan,” said Reisenauer. “On one hand Fedorchak says we don’t need to audit the pipelines while Kalk admits the PSC doesn’t know where the pipelines are. On the other hand Fedorchak says we are already fixing the system, while Kalk says our plan won’t work. It’s like a bad comedy routine.”

“Our opponents are defenders of the current broken bureaucracy that is allowing these leaks to continue,” adds Axness. “It’s clear that Bismarck’s bloated bureaucracy is providing the cover for politicians to point the blame at someone else when incidents like this occur. It’s unacceptable. That’s why we need new leadership with new ideas on the PSC.”

“These spills threaten to undermine public support for energy development,” added Reisenauer. “Having politicians in Bismarck run out to the cameras to take credit for industry’s work but then go missing when spills take place undercuts the public’s faith in state government. Our V.I.P. simplifies the broken system, restores accountability, and will help put a stop to these spills.”

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The post Axness and Reisenauer: “Summer of Spills” highlights PSC failures, confirms need for V.I.P. Plan appeared first on North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party.

From: Dem-NPL News