Phase III – Stealth Is.

Then, on Friday night, the pipe failed, spilling an estimated 42,000 gallons into the flooded river.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, but the prevailing theory among officials and the company is that the raging Yellowstone eroded the riverbed and exposed the line to damaging rocks or debris.

There is still no definitive word on how far downriver the spill could spread.

Oil has fouled miles of the waterway that flows from the famed Yellowstone National Park, upriver from the spill, and across farmlands and prized fishing grounds, to North Dakota. There have been confirmed reports of oil as far as 80 miles downstream, although most appears to be concentrated in the first 25 miles.

At an Environmental Protection Agency meeting Wednesday night, roughly 150 people showed up with questions about health risks, the duration of the cleanup, and whether the oil will permanently damage their livestock or property.

…

Exxon Mobil took almost an hour to fully seal the pipeline after the accident – nearly twice as long as it had publicly disclosed. The company said that did not change its estimate of how much crude entered the river.

“The best thing they could do at this point is be completely honest,” said Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. “It is clear that their veracity has not been 100 percent to this point.”