Pipeline Reclamation, Spills And Spill Remediation Workshop

On Tuesday, March 31, the Richland County DES, USDA Northern Plains Agricultural Research Lab, Richland County NRCS Office and Richland County Extension Office will be joining forces to conduct a pipeline reclamation workshop. This workshop will begin at 9:00 AM and lunch will be provided.

The theme for the workshop is 'reclamation,' and although there will be some education presented in regards to restoring ground to its original state after a pipeline has been constructed, the primary focus for this year's workshop will be spills and spill remediation. The majority of the presentations will be focused on the proper procedures and protocol to follow should a spill occur.

Deb Gilbert, Richland County DES coordinator, will kick off the program with a presentation on the calls she received in 2014. The remainder of the workshop will be comprised of industry professionals, government officials, researchers, and landowners who will focus on;

• Federal, State, and local requirements and notification requirements by pipeline companies in the event of a breach

• What materials are transported via pipeline and how to recognize and respond to a breach should one occur

• How rivers "live" and change and how the National Weather Service can assist in a situation with a pipeline on land or water

• Studies from ARS scientists Erin Espeland (plant ecologist) and Merilyn Schantz (rangeland restoration ecologist) on restoration successes and failures

• How to restore rangeland soil back to its original production potential after a saline spill

• A panel of landowners who have dealt with various types of spills (pipeline, truck etc.) will discuss the successes and challenges associated with cleaning them up and remediating the soil.

The cost for this workshop is $10 per person and includes lunch. The workshop will be held at the Event Center at the Richland County Fairgrounds. For more information, and to register, contact Tim Fine at the Richland County Extension Office at 406-433-1206 or send an email to [email protected].