The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration cited Exxon Mobile with nine violations of pipe safety regulations on Wednesday for its maintenance of the Pegasus Pipeline, which ruptured and spilled crude oil in Mayflower, Ark., in March.
Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), who represents the district the oil spilled in, vowed to hold the company accountable.
“When it comes to protecting our communities, our environment and our drinking water, meeting the minimum requirements of the law should be a given, and going the extra mile to ensure pipeline safety is the right thing to do,” Griffin said. “On Monday, I visited the Lake Maumelle watershed and saw where the pipeline is exposed and potentially vulnerable, and I am more concerned than ever. I will continue to urge Exxon Mobil to relocate the pipeline away from the watershed and work with everyone involved to keep the drinking water for over 400,000 Arkansans safe.”
The PHMSA report proposes levying a penalty of more than $2.6 million against Exxon Mobile for the nine violations.
The Pegasus Pipeline, which runs through more than 13 miles of Lake Maumelle’s watershed and across the lake’s tributaries, spilled 5,000 barrels of crude oil when it ruptured in March.