The Dakota Access pipeline leaked nearly 100 gallons of oil last month and we're just finding out about it because it wasn't announced to the public.
The leak occurred at a rural pump station in the northeast of the state as crews worked to get the four-state pipeline fully operational, [state Department of Environment and Natural Resources scientist Brian Walsh] said. The oil was contained on site by a plastic liner and containment walls and quickly cleaned up. Some oil-contaminated gravel will be disposed of at an area landfill, he said. [...]
"Size-wise, an 84-gallon release is pretty small relative to a lot of other things we work on," Walsh said. "I would characterize it as a small operational spill that was cleaned up right away."
An 84-gallon spill may not be large in the grand scheme of things, but who can say the next leak or spill won't be significantly bigger? Who can say the next leak won't occur closer to a major water source? What we can say for certain is that more leaks will occur because that's how these things go.