It’s A Big One’: Iowa Pipeline Leaks Nearly 140,000 Gallons of Diesel

Magellan Midstream Partners have reported that an underground pipeline that runs through Iowa has spilled nearly 140,000 gallons of diesel. On Wednesday, Clay Masters of Iowa Public Radio, have reported that they have noticed 12-inch underground pipe spilling out diesel in a farm in north-central Worth County, Iowa. Clay Masters report that officials from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and U.S Environmental Protection Agency have joined Magellan representatives. Jeff Vansteenburg from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources claims that this is a big and significant damage. At the Wednesday evening news conference, he reported that when the pipe is under pressure and leak occurs, the liquid will come out very fast. He stated that vacuum trucks suck as much liquid as they can and bring that to Magellan’s terminal. As soon the free product is recovered, they will remove all of the contaminated soil. According to him, the fuel had not reached Willow Creek or the wildlife protection area. According to the Snopes, submitted to the U.S Department of Transportation this pipeline runs through Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois and transports different oil products such as Gasoline, Diesel, Natural gasoline, Jet fuel, Propane, Naphtha, Butane and Natural gas. According to a spokesperson, the leak occurred when the pipe ruptured and diesel spilled out. In the north-central Iowa, since Monday more than a foot of snow has covered the ground. The Globe Gazette newspaper from Mason City has reported that on Wednesday, there were sucked 25,000 gallons of diesel and slush-diesel mixture. Omaha World-Herald stated that last October, one more pipeline operated by this company has leaked near Decatur. This pipeline carried anhydrous ammonia and caused evacuation of 23 households and one person died. For violating the Clean Water Act, Magellan has agreed to pay $46,200 penalty because around 5,000 gallons of diesel were spilled into a creek near Iowa. Magellan paid one more $418,000 penalty for the 45,000-gallon gasoline spill in Oklahoma. After an earthquake that took place in Cushing, Okla. Magellan shut down the pipelines to inspect them. The public media project Inside Energy stated that the federal regulators’ data show a low probability of an accident in the near future. However, whenever it happens, the danger is immense. Inside Energy, calls Snopes chronically underfunded and understaffed agency. The agency has 533 inspectors or one for every 5,000 miles of pipe. According to a government audit, the PHMSA falls behind with implementation of new rules. Over 41 mandates and recommendations concerning pipeline safety, need rulemaking. Via NPR