If A Tree Falls in the Forest: Another 'Oil Field Incident,' Again By Koch, Goes Mostly Unreported

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2013/10/30-3



If A Tree Falls in the Forest: Another 'Oil Field Incident,' Again By Koch, Goes Mostly Unreported
by Abby Zimet
10.30.13 - 1:39 PM

Amidst new revelations that some 750 pipeline spills, many in remote areas in North Dakota, have gone largely unreported within the last year comes news of Tuesday's spill of 17,000 gallons of crude from a Koch-owned pipeline near Austin, Texas. Alarmingly brief Texas reports say it was discovered during a "routine aerial inspection," the cleanup has begun, the cause is unknown, as is the timeline for fixing it, and Koch Pipeline Co. - which has already paid the largest fines ever for over 300 spills in six states affecting many thousands of people - has "notified the appropriate federal and state regulators." So not to worry, even if Congress is currently debating speeding up and otherwise easing requirements for getting approval for such pipelines. Question: If a pipeline built by conscience-free, profit-driven mega-corporations starts oozing toxic oil in the boonies and nobody sees, hears or notices it for some time - and calls aforementioned corporation on their sins - what will become of us?