BREAKING: Exxon Oil Pipeline Breaks on Blackfeet Reservation In Montana - Media Silent

Article: http://theintelhub.com/2011/07/19/oil-pipeline-breaks-on-blackfeet-reservatio...

A break in an oil collection pipeline on the eastern prairie of the Blackfeet Reservation has led to a seepage of crude that has been flowing approximately one mile over land and into the Cutbank river. Tribal officials received word of the spill on Tuesday, but it remains unclear when, or why the pipeline, which is managed by FX Drilling, actually began leaking oil.

Tribal officials confirmed that oil was spotted in the river at least two weeks ago by a kayaker who reported the incident to 911. According to a preliminary investigation by the Blackfoot Environmental Department, FX Drilling attempted to fix the pipeline after the 911 call, but left the break unmended for over a week, claiming they were unable to access the site. Also according to the investigation, FX failed to initiate cleanup on the site after fixing the pipeline. On Wednesday, nearly three weeks after the initial discovery of the spill, absorbent booms were finally placed by Indian Country Environmental Associates (ICEA) on the shore of the Cutbank where the oil merges with the river. ICEA is a company contracted by the tribe to handle cleanup of oil spills on the reservation.

FX Drilling Corporation originally claimed that the leak released "two barrels" of oil, or 84 gallons. They later upped the estimate to 420 gallons. However, officials with the Blackfeet Environmental Department have estimated the spill to be "several thousand gallons." The volume of oil observed at the site was large enough to seep through a wheat field, across a wetland, and down a coulee for approximately one mile where it entered the Cutbank River. It is the second significant release of oil into Montana rivers during the last month.

Several questions plague the indicent, not least is FX Drilling's handling of the spillage. Their failure to disclose the event to the press, community, or Tribal authorities has caused suspicion that their conduct was not merely negligent, but indicative of a coverup. According to Mary Clare Weatherwax, an official at the Blackfeet Environmental Department, "There was definitely a lack of communication that would have allowed a proper response." Weatherwax was also concerned that a wetland in the path of the spill had absorbed much of the oil as it traveled downhill.

Video Destini Vaile 2011

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Exxon oil spill
• Montana oil spill
• Montana 2nd oil spill
• Montana Yellowstone
• oil spill cover up

[Parkway1432]

Great Post ! Props to the young folks who still give a crap and will get up off the couch and do something !

[Cwater2001]

don't let them spray corexit.. danger

[nuclearruffneck]

Laura Bacon should be in prison for this crap...and more.

[muthafuckindevilsson]

You idiots have no clue what your talking about. Shit happens in the oil field all the time and it goes unreported until hippies like this come poking around. Thats the reason why most oilfields are heavily patroled or fenced off.

[TruthVigilante]

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY!

THOSE BASTARDS ARE GONNA PAY AND PAY!!!!

[verb542]

These are idiots. Riding in the back of a pickup is against all safety policies, they have no personal protective gear, he says the pipeline is 10 feet deep which clearly the depth is much less, they do not have permission to be on the property, They do not know what they are talking about. The woman is ugly.

[rushlimbang]

That is not an Exxon oil pipeline. It is a small company than only owns a few wells called F.X. BTW I make a living hauling the crude oil from these wells. I also heat my home and I noticed you used the gasoline made from the oil to travel to the spill site.

[rushlimbang]

what an idiot. he says it is a foot deep and it is clear that it is a pool of water with a thin amount of oil floating on top.

[bremner44]

You can all help end these tragedies. Stop driving and heating your house, and you can help bring demand down. You all are part of the problem. YOU keep demamd for oil high. YOU demand cheap gas. YOU dont use alternative energy. We're all indirrectly responsible for these horrible crimes against mother earth. You can talk the talk, now walk the walk.

[bremner44]

It's FX Energy, not Exxon. Good video, thanks for documenting.

[beaman444]

@optical76 Sounds good. I'm trying to convince my friends and family. Having some luck but not much. I guess it somewhat depends on how many more tricks the gubmint has up its sleeve, but I can't see how the present "stability" can last too much longer.

[optical76]

@beaman444 absolutely. im stocked with food and water, organic seed bank, water filtration systems, guns, silver and gold coins, solar generator. -learning to live off the land and be self sufficient. America is all but doomed.