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Officials: No evidence brine in bay after ND spill

By WTOP Staff

JOSH WOOD
Associated Press

MANDAREE, N.D. (AP) — The snaking, nearly 2-mile trail of saltwater that an underground pipeline spewed in the rugged hills of western North Dakota’s badlands left a 200-yard-long stretch of dead vegetation, a company official said, though she added there is no evidence yet that the spill has contaminated a nearby bay.

On Friday, officials were expected to continue investigating the extent of the damage and cause of the pipeline leak that spilled nearly 1 million gallons of saltwater, an unwanted byproduct of oil and gas production. Also called brine, saltwater is considered an environmental hazard by the state.

The path the saltwater took into a ravine left a patch of dead vegetation as wide as 100 feet in some points, said Miranda Jones, vice president of environmental safety and regulatory at Houston-based Crestwood Midstream Partners LP. The pipeline belonged to Crestwood subsidiary Arrow Pipeline LLC.

That ravine flows into Bear Den Bay, a tributary of Lake Sakakawea. Sakakawea, one of the nation’s largest man-made lakes, is a drinking water source for the Fort Berthold Indian reservation.

On a boat trip to the bay Thursday, The Associated Press saw no visible signs of contamination. Waterfowl were present in the area — some sitting close to the bright yellow booms placed at the point where the ravine meets the bay. Booms had also been placed around a nearby water-intake system used by the reservation.

The company believes the spill began over the Fourth of July weekend. In the first public statement in the two days since the spill was detected, the Environmental Protection Agency said it had no confirmed reports that the saltwater had reached Bear Den Bay. The agency said most of the spill was pooled on the ground, soaked into the soil or held behind beaver dams.

Jones also said Thursday that there is no evidence the bay had been contaminated.

On Wednesday, Jones spoke to The Associated Press with Three Affiliated Tribes chairman Tex Hall, who said then that the spill had leaked into the bay. On Thursday, Jones said the chairman was referring to the ravine.

The area where the spill occurred is in a patch of North Dakota’s badlands — a dramatic, remote and rugged landscape characterized by steep-sided hills dropping into ravines.

Claryca Mandan, natural resources administrator for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes’ natural resources department, said the area is “one of the worst places it could have happened” as the geography complicates cleanup and remediation efforts.

Cleanup crews were carrying equipment into the bottom of the ravine by hand Thursday.

On top of the bluff where the spill occurred, workers could be observed shoveling contaminated earth and taking soil samples.

At the bottom of the ravine, Jones said, crews were removing contaminated water and using pipes to pump in fresh water.

The EPA said it was assessing the site to ensure none of the brine had affected Lake Sakakawea.

Crestwood agreed to take the AP and a local television station to view part of the affected area on Thursday, but with limitations on where and when photographs could be taken.

Later, Crestwood and tribal officials arranged the boat tour for the AP to view Bear Den Bay.

Fort Berthold Indian Reservation plays a key role in the state’s oil production, the second-highest in the nation. The reservation currently represents more than 300,000 of North Dakota’s 1 million barrels of oil produced daily, according to the state’s Department of Mineral Resources.

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MacPherson reported from Bismarck, N.D.

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Contact Josh Wood at https://twitter.com/JWoodAP

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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