KXL Pipes Arrive in Anticipation of Next Year's Construction

Truckloads of pipes to be used in the construction of TransCanada's Keystone XL Pipeline have been traveling across Northeast Montana from Glendive to staging areas along the pipelines' future route in northern Phillips and Valley County.

Construction on Keystone XL is anticipated to begin next spring in 2019. In preparation of that start time the pipe is being trucked in and stored over the coming winter. Preparations for worker camp construction are also underway at camps projected to go in near Glendive and Hinsdale, Mont. The modular units for those facilities should be installed next spring as well, according to TransCanada, as workers begin to travel to the area.

In an interview with the Phillips County News back in June, TransCanada stated that the camp near Hinsdale would house nearly 800 workers for about eight months. Robin Tysver, Trans Canada's spokesperson, told PCN then that the camps are constructed with interconnecting modular buildings and the Hinsdale campsite will be fully prepared prior to the arrival of the modular buildings. Once the site is ready, she added, the buildings will be set and anchored in place.

Keystone XL is an international pipeline that will transport crude oil from Alberta, Canada across two provinces (Alberta and Saskatchewan) and three states (Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska) before meeting up with an existing pipeline in Steele City, Neb., and continuing on to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas. The project is projected to cost the company some $8 billion once completed.

Opposition to the pipeline has also been a concern of local law enforcement and company representatives. Sites in Phillips County contain security details and workers are on high alert. Some officials fear that opposition to KXL could generate the same opposition that was seen at the Standing Rock Tribes protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016.

Similar to the KXL pipeline ,DAPL crossed the Missouri River system upstream from the Tribe's water supply intake along the river. This led to oppositional movements that eventually garnered international attention. KXL would cross the Missouri River almost immediately upstream from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and upstream from the Dry Prairie Water intake, which is owned and operated by the tribe.

In response to questions from The Glasgow Courier, Chairman of the Fort Peck Tribes Floyd Azure stated that the tribe was in opposition to KXL as it poses a threat to the water system, and because the route goes so closely to the reservation without crossing it. Azure pointed out that, in his view, there is no benefit to the tribe or anyone in Northeast Montana.

"We have this $300 million water treatment plant that supports almost everyone from Culbertson to Glasgow and everyone north of us to the Canadian border," commented Azure before continuing, "And this pipeline is going to cross two of the few remaining fresh water sources our Tribe has left, the Milk and the Missouri."

Azure was eluding to the fact that a 1950s oil spill on the reservation left a plume of brine water that had tainted the ground water system for much of the reservation. According to remarks made by Congressman Denny Rehberg in Congress on Sept. 14, 2009, that brine plume played a role in the federal government's decision to invest in the Dry Prairie water treatment plant to begin with.

Azure expressed frustration with the pipelines' proximity and risk it poses to the tribes water facility. He stated, "I have not heard of any process that would take care of us should anything happen." Azure continued adding, "It's not just going to jeopardize those of us on the reservation, it's going to jeopardize everyone in Northeast Montana, native and non-native alike."

TransCanada did push back against the preparedness of the company to deal with a spill on the river system. Spokesperson for the company Tysver stated, "Water protection is very important to TransCanada and we take several steps and measures to limit the risks, including the installation of valves that allow TransCanada to close and isolate the pipe in minutes. TransCanada is also required under federal law to have a robust emergency plan in place for any possible incident and we conduct regular emergency response exercises with first responders and other emergency agencies along the route in Montana."

Azure said the tribes were committed to opposing the pipeline and that they were working to do that through their authority and any legal channels to include legal action at their disposal. When asked if he supports oppositional protests to the pipeline, Azure said that the tribe was in no way organizing protest movements against the pipeline but he did say, that he condones people's right to protest and welcomes support from oppositional groups. Chairman Azure also clarified, "But, I don't want violent protesters, all protests should be in accordance with the law."