SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- Add Sen. John Thune to the chorus of those who want to know how the the Keystone oil spill occurred in Marshall County.
"We're going to needs some answers from these guys about how they intend that this doesn't happen again," Thune said.
After the spill last week, Sen. John Thune said he spoke to one of federal administrators that oversees pipeline safety. Thune says he wants assurances about the pipelines that cross South Dakota.
"This is a big deal," Thune said. "If we're going to have pipelines delivering resources across the country, that are coming into South Dakota, we want to be sure it's being done in the safest way possible."
He adds that Congress just last year passed a bill that was supposed to insure better pipeline safety. Though the Keystone Pipeline is currently cleaning up their 210-thousand gallon oil spill in Marshall County, Thune says the leak could have other negative consequences.
"Because it's going to make it hard in the future for folks who want to build these pipelines, to make the argument for why we need do them if they can't assure us that they're going to be done safely," Thune said.
Thune says spills like this make it difficult for Congress and regulators to believe proponents for any upcoming oil pipeline projects.
Thune was in Sioux Falls today for the Senate's Thanksgiving break and spoke at the Americans for Prosperty luncheon.
