(Washington, D.C.) - Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus announced today that he is holding a hearing on the Yellowstone River oil spill next Wednesday in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.  Baucus is bringing together Montanans and top officials from the EPA, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and ExxonMobil to gain insight into the cause of the spill, public health concerns, cleanup progress and strategies for preventing future disasters. 

"Montanans need a voice in this process and deserve a forum where they can share their stories from the ground and demand accountability. We have a responsibility to track down the cause of this spill and learn from it so that we can protect our families, landowners, businesses, sportsmen and wildlife from further harm," said Baucus, a senior member of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee which has jurisdiction over environmental hazards such as oil spills.   

The "Yellowstone River Oil Spill Oversight" hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday at 10AM and will be held in the Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee where Baucus serves as Chairman.

The following witnesses are scheduled to testify:

• - Scott McBurney, landowner in Laurel
• - Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County Commissioner
• - Gary Pruessing, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company President
• - Cynthia Quarterman, Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Administrator
• - Robert Perciasepe, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator 

The hearing builds upon Baucus' inquiry into the history of the pipeline that ruptured asking both Exxon and the Pipeline Safety Administration to answer specific questions and provide all relevant documents related to the pipeline.    

Baucus staff have been meeting with affected landowners and businesses since the pipeline burst July 1^st, 2011.

Contact: Kate Downen 406-224-5056/Jennifer Donohue 202-224-2651/Kathy Weber 406-657-5915

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