Faulty welds dating back to the 1950s have contributed to safety problems with the pipeline that spilled up to 40,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River in the United States.
“The pipeline’s owner, Bridger Pipeline LLC, has had nearly double the number of incidents per mile of pipe than the average company with pipelines carrying oil, gas, or other hazardous liquids over the last six years, according to data compiled by the Pipeline Safety Trust,” InsideClimate News reports. “Federal records suggest that most of Bridger’s incidents occurred on the Poplar line and were preventable.”
- Concise headlines. Original content. Timely news and views from a select group of opinion leaders. Special extras.
- Everything you need, nothing you don’t.
- The Weekender: The climate news you need.
The pipeline is covered in up to two feet of ice, so cleanup efforts have been hampered and the cause of the spill is still not known.
