John --

We are continuing to monitor the massive cleanup now underway in the wake of the 22nd leak of at least 588,000 gallons of tarsands ("diluted bitumen"), benzene and other volatile organic compounds on TC Energy's (formerly TransCanada) first Keystone Pipeline.

This massive rupture and spill on Dec. 8th into Mill Creek near Washington, Kansas was the largest-ever on the original Keystone pipeline, and the largest inland pipeline spill in the U.S. in a decade.

As of last reporting, TC Energy said it has over 600 workers at the site cleaning up its toxic mess, which is directly impacting over a dozen landowners, and has killed at least 71 fish and four mammals, including a beaver.

While the company, and local and federal officials have reported on the construction of an "earthen dam" at the spill site to stem the flow of any "visible oil" -- days later, water testing downstream from the spill site discovered unhealthy levels of toxic benzene, toulene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). [1]

Bold would pay to conduct independent water testing in Mill Creek in the area surrounding the spill site, if access was granted by nearby landowners.

Bold's resident attorney and pipeline expert Paul Blackburn examined this recent spill in the context of causes of other spills over the Keystone Pipeline's spill history, and the implications for landowners facing a proposed buildout of new carbon pipelines for a Pipeline Fighters Hub analysis: "The Keystone Pipeline Is a Lemon. It Just Leaked for the 22nd Time."

Share Paul Blackburn's analysis "The Keystone Pipeline Is a Lemon. It Just Leaked for the 22nd Time" on Facebook.

Bold will continue to monitor the ongoing cleanup on the Keystone pipeline. We're also working with the Nebraska Easement Action Team to organize landowners in Nebraska opposed to eminent domain and the proposed CO2 pipelines, while Easement Teams' attorney Brian Jorde continues to defend and represent landowners against surveying and eminent domain across multiple impacted states.

Donate to support Bold's work to organize landowners and stop eminent domain for private gain pipelines.

Thanks for standing with us.

Jane Kleeb and the Bold team

REFERENCES

[1] "Pipeline company says Keystone Pipeline oil spill contained, but chemicals found downstream," Nebraska Public Media, 12/22/22

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Bold Nebraska
P.O. Box 254
Hastings, NE 68902 US