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The Dakota Access Pipeline Has Sprung Two Leaks – And It Hasn’t Even Started Operating Yet
It didn’t take long for detractors of the Dakota Access Pipeline to have their fears met, with reports surfacing that the facility sprung two leaks in March, leaking more than 100 gallons (378 litres) of oil before it was contained.
While both leaks were relatively small, and were cleaned up before affecting nearby waterways and wildlife, the concern here is that the pipeline has now sustained three leaks in 2017 alone, and it still hasn’t even begun operations.
As the Associated Press reports, two barrels of oil totalling 84 gallons (320 litres) spilled on March 3 due to a mechanical fault at a pipeline terminal in Watford City, North Dakota.
A second, above-ground spill occurred on March 5 in Mercer County, North Dakota – a leak of half a barrel, or 20 gallons (75 litres), due to a manufacturing defect. The contaminated soil was reportedly cleaned up before doing any damage to the surrounding environment.
A third, known leak occurred on April 4 in South Dakota, where two barrels (84 gallons) spilled at a pump station.
The North Dakota Environmental Health Chief, Dave Glatt, told the Associated Press that all spills are listed on their online database, but they don’t usually notify the public unless the leaks involve at least 150 barrels (6,300 gallons or 23,848 litres), or the oil has made its way into the waterways.
To be clear, these leaks are tiny compared to what we’ve been seeing elsewhere in the state of North Dakota, which has experienced 700 oil spills in the past 12 months alone.
Between 2006 and 2014, there have been more than 1,300 pipeline spills in the state, according to The New York Times. |
