GRENORA, N.D. (AP) - Students in the Grenora School District are studying North Dakota’s largest brine spill in state history as part of the national Eco Challenge through Scholastic.
Grenora science teacher Katelyn Jespersen proposed the Eco Challenge to her students, and they chose the Blacktail Creek spill because it was most relevant to them.
“We can make a difference, even though we are a small number, just by asking questions and learning more about the issues,” Jespersen told the Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/1N6mC74 ). “We can make change happen.”
Grenora students raised some pointed questions: Why hasn’t there been more media coverage of the cleanup efforts? Why hasn’t the cause been revealed? What’s being done to prevent spills in the future?
The kids got to take their questions to regulators and company representatives. They also took a site tour of the spill site to see the cleanup work that’s underway.
David Glatt, environmental health section chief with the North Dakota Department of Health, said a pipeline rupture caused the spill.
“We do know the pipeline failed, but we don’t know if it was a defect in material, construction or what have you,” Glatt said. “What complicates this a bit is it will probably go under litigation.”
Glatt said a civil investigation is ongoing, and a separate criminal investigation is being handled by the EPA.
Students got to view the cleanup efforts and try their hand at taking their own samples as part of a site tour facilitated by Summit Midstream.
Salt water is heavier than fresh water, so when a spill occurs it tends to stay at the bottom.
“It was interesting, separating the two waters without mixing them,” said Ethan Myers.
Samples are taken from both the top and bottom layers of the stream and the concentration of chloride recorded.
“You had to do it slowly, because otherwise it would mix the layers of water and dilute the sample,” said Ridge Sargent.
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Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
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