July 6, 2011
Contact:
Kendall Van Dyk, (406) 690-1728, kvandyk@tu.org
Bruce Farling, (406) 360-6208, bruce@montanatu.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TU releases statement on Yellowstone River oil spill
Spill missed Blue-Ribbon trout fishery, but still has impact on Montana
BILLINGS, Mont.Trout Unlimited today released a statement on the impacts of an ExxonMobil oil spill into the renowned Yellowstone River near Billings. The statement, available at tu.org and montanatu.org, holds the energy company accountable for the accident and promises full-scale monitoring of cleanup efforts until the river and all who depend on it are out of danger.
This accident demonstrates the very real need for diligence when it comes to how we develop and transport oil and gas in the West, said Kendall Van Dyk, Montana energy field coordinator for TU, and a Montana state senator. We believe that energy companies should drill for and transport domestic fossil fuels in the West, but we cant let our guard down. Incidents like this one, where oil was spilled into one of the nations most treasured rivers, are simply not acceptable.
The accident along the Yellowstone, which dumped the equivalent of 1,000 barrels of oil into the river, highlights a need to revamp pipeline crossings in Montana to ensure such a disaster never happens again. While the Yellowstones fabled trout water runs farther upstream of the spill site, the area impacted is important transitional habitat between a coldwater trout fishery and a vibrant warm-water fishery. Native fish, like goldeye, sauger and channel catfish call this reach of Yellowstone River home, as do non-native but highly prized fish, like smallmouth bass and walleye. So far, theres no information available as to the impact of the oil spill on these fish or the economically significant recreational fishery in the area.
One concern, however, is very real. Farther downstream in the Yellowstone lives one of the countrys rarest native fish, the pallid sturgeon. Thanks to high water flows, theres no telling how the spill will impact this endangered, prehistoric fish.
We can only wait and see, said Bruce Farling, executive director of Montana Trout Unlimited. We know that were seeing oil as far as 40 miles downstream in flooded wheat fields near Pompeys Pillar, an important landmark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Thats approaching the stretch of the river home to sturgeon.
TU and Montana TU will continue to monitor the effects of the spill and the cleanup efforts put in place by ExxonMobil. More information is available in TUs official statement on the matter at tu.org or montanatu.org. For updates, follow TU on Twitter, @TroutUnlimited or @MontanaTu, and on Facebook at facebook.com/troutunlimited or facebook.com/MontanaTroutUnlimited.
Trout Unlimited is a private, non-profit organization with more than 140,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North Americas trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.