Crews still working at cleanup of oil spill on the Blackfeet Nation

Thursday, July 28, 2011  

The Blackfeet Nation wants all oil and gas producers in Montana to be informed of their responsibilities in case of spills.

A reported 840 gallons of oil spilled on the reservation on June 12. But FX Drilling Co. didn't report it to the tribe or federal authorities until a month later, when it had already reached Cut Bank Creek.

"Producers of hydro-chemicals in the state of Montana would hear exactly their responsibilities and would have no excuse in the future to not report, underreport or ignore situations like on the Yellowstone or Cut Bank Creek," Chairman Willie Sharp Jr. said in a letter, the Associated Press reported.

Crews are about one third of the way through the cleanup of the spill, the AP said.

Get the Story:
Tribal leader calls for oil spill accountability (AP 7/27)
FX Energy: Pipeline in Cut Bank oil spill to be 'wiped off map' (The Great Falls Tribune 7/28)

Native Sun News: Criminal probe into oil spill on Blackfeet Nation (7/27)
Drilling company kept oil spill a secret from Blackfeet Nation, EPA (7/19)