Yellowstone River Cleanup and Recovery Continues

Outreach to Affected Landowners under Way

BILLINGS, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cleanup efforts along the Yellowstone River continued on Wednesday following the release of oil from an ExxonMobil Pipeline Company pipeline on Friday, July 1.

"We have about 440 people actively involved in the response and cleanup efforts and we are making significant progress. Active recovery continues in the zones closest to the spill site but we will go as far downstream as necessary to fully understand what areas are impacted," said Gary Pruessing, president of ExxonMobil Pipeline Company.

CLEANUP STATUS

    --  More than 76,000 feet of absorbent boom is on site, with more than 6,000
        feet deployed to clean up oil adjacent to the river; More than 3,300
        absorbent pads are on site with more than 1500 deployed.
    --  Ongoing air quality monitoring conducted has confirmed there is no
        danger to public health. Municipal water systems are being notified to
        monitor water quality by the EPA, but no reports of impacts have been
        received to date. The EPA is also monitoring water quality.
    --  Daily aerial flights continue over the area to identify additional oil
        locations and monitor and direct cleanup activity. We are also walking
        the parts of the shorelines where it is safe to do so. Today's focus
        will be on areas in zones A and B (closest to the spill site) all the
        way to the South Billings Bridge.
    --  The unified command is assessing the data on a daily basis and sending
        responders where they can safely recover oil. Eight boats are staged at
        Coulson Park for deployment for reconnaissance and monitoring on the
        river when conditions permit.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO LANDOWNERS

    --  Current efforts are underway to meet with individual landowners who have
        been affected by the spill. Those who may have been affected are
        encouraged to use the claims hotline (1-888-382-0043) for more
        information.
    --  Claims agents are calling local landowners who have contacted the
        hotline to notify them of tonight's EPA meeting.

WILDLIFE ASSESSMENT AND RECOVERY

    --  We have been working with International Bird Rescue and the Montana Fish
        and Wildlife and Parks Departments to survey the area for impacts to
        wildlife. Members of the team have been deployed to inspect the property
        of landowners who have called the claims and wildlife hotlines.
    --  To date, no wildlife have been collected.
    --  International Bird Rescue and the Humane Society are staged for
        immediate response and rehabilitation if needed.

ExxonMobil Pipeline Company is coordinating the response with the Environmental Protection Agency; the U.S. Department of the Interior; the Montana Department of Environmental Quality; U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services; and Yellowstone County commissioners.

HOTLINE INFORMATION

    --  Claims hotline: Individuals in the community who might have been
        impacted by this event are encouraged to contact the claims hotline
        number (1-888-382-0043).
    --  Wildlife hotline: Anyone who comes across wildlife that have been
        impacted by the spill are asked to use the wildlife hotline number
        (1-800-259-0596)


    Source: Exxon Mobil Corporation