For the third time in just three years, the Keystone Pipeline that stretches from Alberta, Canada all the way to the Gulf Coast has sprung a massive leak. According to TC Energy and the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ), more than 9,000 barrels’ worth of crude oil spilled from the Keystone Pipeline near Edinburg, North Dakota. The spill has threatened an adjacent wetland area. TC Energy has temporarily shut down the pipeline in response to the spill and dispatched “emergency response personnel” to the site.
The Division of Water Quality of the NDDEQ is investigating the spill to determine if it will put any North Dakotans or any potable water sources at risk. The 22,000 square foot spill could potentially seep into waterbeds or poison wildlife as it dissolves further into the wetlands.
The spill adds even more fuel to protests against the planned Keystone XL Pipeline, which has been harshly contested by environmentalists for years. Completion of the XL Pipeline would increase how much crude oil could be moved from the north to the Midwest and Gulf Coast by nearly 75%. But, if the current Keystone Pipeline is any indication, it would also create an unprecedented environmental threat due to the risk of leaks and contamination.
As with the other Keystone Pipeline spills in recent years – one occurred in February 2019 and another in 2017 – people are demanding answers from TC Energy. Depending on the findings of the NDDEQ, they may also soon be able to demand compensation for gross negligence and exposure to toxic substances.
If you, your family, or your property have been exposed to hazards caused by the current or previous Keystone Pipeline spills, call (888) 387-4134 to connect with Domina Law Group. Pipeline. Our trial attorneys are also keeping an eye on the developing oil spill story in North Dakota, as it may soon have far-reaching implications, depending on the outcome of the investigations.