Company: Size of pipeline spill is incorrect

Published 9:18 am Tuesday, January 31, 2017

HANLONTOWN, Iowa — Pipeline officials said far less diesel fuel than feared spilled from a broken pipeline in north-central Iowa.

Magellan Midstream Partners officials initially estimated that nearly 139,000 gallons spilled when the pipeline broke near Hanlontown on Wednesday.

But the company said Monday that it has reported a new estimate of nearly 47,000 gallons to federal authorities.

Email newsletter signup

Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine said the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company reached the new estimate by calculating how much diesel had to be pumped in to get the pipeline back online.

The 12-inch pipeline returned to service Saturday.

Iowa authorities have said the diesel didn’t reach any bodies of water. Contaminated snow and diesel are being hauled to a facility in Minneapolis. David Miller with the Iowa Natural Resources Department said Tuesday that the tainted soil is going to a landfill near Lake Mills.