BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal investigators say ExxonMobil Corp.’s delayed response to a pipeline
break beneath Montana’sYellowstone River made the spill far worse than it otherwise would
havebeen.Department of Transportation investigators say the volume ofthe 1,500-barrel spill could have been
cut by about two-thirds ifpipeline controllers in Houston closed off the line as soon as
problemsemerged.Instead, crude drained from a severed, 12-inch pipelinefor another 46 minutes before a
remote control valve near the river wasfinally closed.A copy of the investigators’ report was provided to
The Associated Press by the office of Montana U.S. Sen. Max Baucus.TheJuly 1, 2011, spill fouled 70 miles of
riverbank along the scenicYellowstone. Exxon spent $135 million on cleanup and repair work.An Exxon
spokeswoman declined comment Wednesday, saying the company was still analyzing the report.Copyright 2013 The
Associated Press.BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal investigators say ExxonMobil Corp.’s delayed response to a
pipeline break beneath Montana’sYellowstone River made the spill far worse than it otherwise would
havebeen.Department of Transportation investigators say the volume ofthe 1,500-barrel spill could have been
cut by about two-thirds ifpipeline controllers in Houston closed off the line as soon as
problemsemerged.Instead, crude drained from a severed, 12-inch pipelinefor another 46 minutes before a
remote control valve near the river wasfinally closed.A copy of the investigators’ report was provided to
The Associated Press by the office of Montana U.S. Sen. Max Baucus.TheJuly 1, 2011, spill fouled 70 miles of
riverbank along the scenicYellowstone. Exxon spent $135 million on cleanup and repair work.An Exxon
spokeswoman declined comment Wednesday, saying the company was still analyzing the report.Copyright 2013 The
Associated Press.