Oil spill cleanup crews from pipeline operator TC Energy gather for their morning briefing on Saturday, December 12. 10, 2022, in Washington County, Kansas.
TC Energy
So far, four mammals and 92 fish have been found dead at the Keystone Pipeline oil spill site in Washington County, Kansas.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spokeswoman Kellen Ashford told The Star that one of the mammals was a beaver that was found alive and received treatment from wildlife specialists , but died a few days later.
“The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is working with federal partners to conduct wildlife identification and impact assessments,” the agency reported Monday. “Although KDWP staff can confirm that some fish, mussels and mammals have been impacted, it is still too early to determine the extent (of the impact).”
More than 600 workers are now on site to carry out cleanup, rehabilitation and monitoring.
How can I help wildlife affected by the oil spill?
TC Energy, the Canadian company that operates the Keystone Pipeline, has established a reporting system for impacted wildlife. Anyone in the area of the spill, which occurred near Mill Creek in Washington County, Kansas, can use this form to report wildlife sightings that may have been affected by the incident. .
The form asks for your name, contact information, the animal’s location, and a description of what you saw. If possible, the company asks you to provide the exact GPS coordinates of the wildlife you see.
The company has not responded to The Star’s inquiries about the reports it has received so far.
“We are working with wildlife assessment teams including federal and state wildlife administrators and have trained professional responders on site to identify any wildlife impacts,” the company wrote. in a press release Friday morning.
What type of oil is impacting wildlife at the spill site?
The EPA announced Thursday morning that the material spilled during the Keystone rupture was diluted bitumen, a heavy crude oil. Exposure to this substance turned out to cause Symptoms including behavioral changes, loss of body weight and eventual death in a variety of animals, from marine mammals to birds.
A study published in the January edition of the Journal of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety found that diluted bitumen, often referred to as “dilbit”, is more toxic than conventional crude oil due to its effects on zebra finches.
Bitumen is a thick oily substance with a consistency similar to peanut butter. In order for it to flow through pipelines, it is usually diluted with other petroleum compounds.
On Monday morning, the company reports that it recovered 7,233 barrels of oil from the site, just over half the estimated amount spilled. Crews also recovered 5,000 cubic meters of oil-contaminated soil, according to an EPA press release.
What else do we know about the spill and cleanup efforts?
Personnel at the Keystone pipeline oil spill site now number more than 600, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) answer page.
The portion of the pipeline connecting Alberta, Canada, and Wood River, Illinois reopened Wednesday eveninga week after the pipeline spilled 14,000 barrels of crude oil into northern Kansas – the largest spill in its 12-year history.
The segment of the pipeline known as the Cushing Extension, which operates on the 288-mile stretch between Steele City, Nebraska and Cushing, Oklahoma, is the only segment that remains closed as crews continue to work on cleanup and repairs .
The company still hasn’t released any visuals or other information about the breakage, saying it is still investigating the cause of the spill. Segments of the pipeline operated at a higher than standard pressure Since 2017, according to a 2021 government report.
Do you have any further questions about the impacts of last week’s Keystone Pipeline oil spill? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
Natalie Wallington is a reporter in The Star’s service desk, covering government programs, community resources, COVID-19 data and environmental action, among other topics. His journalism has previously appeared in The Washington Post, Audubon Magazine, Popular Science, VICE News and elsewhere.
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