Fort Peck Ground Water Contamination

Missoulian: Fort Peck Reservation study maps large, salty groundwater plume
Delineation of brine contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck Indian Reservation, northeastern Montana, 2004-09
“The extent of brine contamination in the shallow aquifers in and near the East Poplar oil field is as much as 17.9 square miles and appears to be present throughout the entire saturated zone in contaminated areas. The brine contamination affects 15–37 billion gallons of groundwater. Brine contamination in the shallow aquifers east of the Poplar River generally moves to the southwest toward the river and then southward in the Poplar River valley. The likely source of brine contamination in the shallow aquifers is brine that is produced with crude oil in the East Poplar oil field study area. Brine contamination has not only affected the water quality from privately owned wells in and near the East Poplar oil field, but also the city of Poplar’s public water-supply wells.”

Earthquakes/ Bison

Missoulian: Earthquake shakes Lincoln, Marysville area
MBMG Earthquake Studies Office- Reviewed Earthquake Locations

Missoulian: FWP boss announces scaled-back Montana bison plan

Bison Conservation & Management

Bitterroot Dam/ Child Porn Restitution/ Spacewalking

Missoulian: FWP seeks ideas on dangerous Bitterroot dam as 'Free the River' signs appear
Bitterroot River Emergency Closure

“The dam is a low-head structure that creates dangerous currents that have caused numerous boat accidents including a fatality in 2013. Signs have been in place for several years warning floaters about the danger and signaling portage routes around the dam. Despite the warnings signs, at least two accidents have occurred in recent months. At the current water levels, portage around the dam is very difficult.”

Missoulian:High court tosses $3.4M award to child porn victim

Paroline v. United States

“While the victim’s expansive reading must be rejected, that does not mean the broader principles underlying aggregate causation theories are irrelevant to determining the proper outcome in cases like this. The cause of the victim’s general losses is the trade in her images, and Paroline is a part of that cause. Just as it undermines the purposes of tort law to turn away plaintiffs harmed by several wrongdoers, it would undermine §2259’s purposes to turn away victims in cases like this.”

A spacewalker works on the S0 truss after replacing a failed backup computer.

Image Credit: NASA TV

Missoulian: Spacewalking astronauts tackle urgent repair job
Crew Set to Conduct Spacewalk and Release Cargo Ship
“Spacewalkers Steve Swanson and Rick Mastracchio will install a spare backup computer on the S0 truss located on top of the Destiny laboratory module Wednesday morning. They will remove the old computer which failed April 11 after being shut down then restarted for a periodic health check.”