EPA v. Belle Fourche Pipeline Company

Case summary

This settlement is for a spill from a pipeline break into the Yellowstone River near Glendive, Montana in 2015 due to river scouring. This case was combined with another spill case (Belle Fourche Pipeline) that occurred in 2016, where another pipeline broke into Ash Coulee Creek near Bellfield, North Dakota due to sloughing of the hillside. The two cases were combined due to the two companies having the same parent company. The pipeline break occurred on January 17, 2015. Approximately 758 barrels of crude oil were released from the pipeline directly into the Yellowstone River due to the pipeline being exposed on the bed of the river.

Defendants (1)

• BRIDGER PIPELINE LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• BRIDGER PIPELINE - BRIDGER POPLAR PIPELINE YELLOWSTONE RIVER REPLACEMENT

  5MI S OF GLENDIVE OFF HWY 10 ON W, GLENDIVE, MT, 59330

  Registry ID: 110063869988

• BELLE FOURCHE PIPELINE COMPANY

  APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF BELFIELD, BELFIELD, ND, 58622

  Registry ID: 110070106838

Statutes cited

• CWA 311B — Oil & Hazardous Substances Discharge

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• Belle Fourche Pipeline Companyentered 2023-10-02

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $5,212,500 · State/local: $4,587,500

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2016-09-28Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2016-10-05Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2022-05-02Complaint Filed With Court
• 2023-10-02Final Order Entered
• 2023-10-02Final Order Lodged