BILLINGS – Landowners are still waiting for soil sample results three weeks since the ExxonMobil oil spill. Some homeowners who want answers took matters into their own hands.
Scott and Sue McBurney live right along the Yellowstone River along River Road. They hired a private investigator to help give them an idea what’s happening on their land. For the first time Thursday they got preliminary answers to what they’ve been asking for three weeks.
The McBurney’s said they’ve just want to know if they can use their land for growing hay.
They said information their investigator has given reveals the impact of the spill might not be as bad as they expected.
The environmentalist they hired the hydrocarbons in the dirt near where they grow their hay.
“We hired him just to give us general ideas about some areas in our pasture. The results were some what reassuring. Judging from some of the things he said it sounds like some of the areas might have less oil then I originally thought and so were kind of cautiously optimistic,” said Scott McBurney.
The McBurney’s are still waiting for soil sample results from the EPA and DEQ. The McBurney’s said they need to know if they hay has been compromised before they can sell it.
Depending on how contaminated their land is they said they may have to replace the soil and that’s a process that could take up to three years.
ust to give us general ideas about some areas in our pasture. The results were some what reassuring. Judging from some of the things he said it sounds like some of the areas might have less oil then I originally thought and so were kind of cautiously optimistic.
