BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - State and federal regulators say the response to a 30,000-gallon oil spill into Montana's Yellowstone River is shifting from emergency crude recovery to long-term monitoring and remediation.
Paul Peronard with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that about 2,500 gallons of oil were recovered. That's just over 8 percent of the amount spilled.
Because there are minimal prospects for further oil recovery, Peronard says his agency no longer has jurisdiction over the spill. That means the Montana Department of Environmental Quality will become the lead agency in the response.
The January 17th pipeline breach temporarily contaminated the water treatment plant downstream in Glendive.
State officials say they will negotiate with pipeline owner Bridger Pipeline LLC of Casper, Wyoming, in coming months over a penalty for water pollution violations.