A proposed crude oil pipeline would cross ISU research farms and just south of Ames, yet, to date, our university and local leaders have been relatively quiet about its potential impact to our community’s health.

The oil spill in the Yellowstone River provides further evidence about the hazards of oil pipelines. The Bridger pipeline spilled 40,000 tons of crude Bakken oil into the Yellowstone River on Jan. 17. Benzene, a cancer-causing agent, has polluted local water supplies in Montana.

Despite federal rules, 50 feet of the Bridger pipeline was exposed in the riverbed near the break. In 2011, the pipeline was confirmed to be 8 feet below the river, meaning it only took a little over four years for changes in the riverbed to expose the pipeline.

Two spills in the past four years in the Yellowstone River provide all the evidence we need to say no to the Bakken pipeline. Floods and other natural forces can expose pipelines. 

In Ames, we know well that our rivers are prone to more frequent and severe flooding. The proposed Bakken pipeline would carry crude oil through several major watersheds. Further, the proposed Iowa Bakken pipeline will be six times larger than the Bridger.

Visit nobakken.com to find information about how to file an objection with the Iowa Utilities Board, letting them know that the proposed Bakken pipeline presents too great a risk to our soil, water, and communities. As a renewable energy leader, Iowa doesn’t need a pipeline.