Dead vegetation reported but officials say no evidence of contamination in bay after ND spill

A company official says the path of saltwater that spilled from a pipeline in western North Dakota extends for nearly 2 miles and has left behind a 200-yard-long stretch of dead vegetation.

But Miranda Jones, vice president of environmental safety and regulatory at Crestwood Midstream Partners LP, says there is no evidence yet that the spill has contaminated nearby Bear Den Bay. Crestwood subsidiary Arrow Pipeline LLC owns the pipeline.

The Environmental Protection Agency also says it has no confirmed reports that the saltwater, a byproduct of oil and gas production, has reached the bay.

The bay leads to Lake Sakakawea, a drinking water source for the Fort Berthold Indian reservation.

On a boat trip Thursday, The Associated Press saw no visible signs of contamination in the bay.