Pipeline pipedreams: Oil spills, pipeline accidents, and the local truths embedding fossil fuels in the Yellowstone River Valley, United States

Abstract

Abstract Climate change and encroachment of human infrastructure have altered the flow regimes and channel morphology of the world’s major rivers. At the same time, expanding pipeline networks continue to transport hazardous materials around and under these changing river systems. The interaction of these phenomena has produced a series of incidents—notably, on the Yellowstone River in 2011 and 2015—when exposed pipelines have been damaged or corroded, releasing oil and other contaminants into rivers with significant ecological, economic, and social consequences. These events have prompted some evolution of policy and best practices; however, the power of the status quo has slowed the pace of policy change, forcing us to also consider justice implications. In this study we employ a qualitative, longitudinal methodology to examine the dominant ‘truth regime’—or collection of truisms that reinforces the status quo—that operates in this context. We analyze the discourse of citizen stakeholders on the Yellowstone River, gathered over three field seasons: 2006, 2012 and 2018. Our findings highlight four components of a truth regime—‘we need oil,’ ‘this is conservative country,’ ‘it’s always been clean,’ and ‘problem solved’—and demonstrate how they are reinforced and challenged over time. While this analysis is limited to the Yellowstone River, the components are likely found in other contexts where human impacts, climate change and policy development overlap.