[3][4][5] The Keystone Pipeline System spans from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta to refineries in Texas.

[10][11] The leak raised concerns from environmentalists due to the transfer of tar sands through the pipeline, which are more toxic than crude oil and can sink in water.

[8] The Environmental Protection Agency dispatched two coordinators, who determined there was no impact to drinking water in the Washington County area.

[12] The independent analysis of the failure concluded that the failure occurred due to a combination of factors, including bending stress on the pipe and a weld flaw at a pipe to fitting girth weld that was completed at a fabrication facility.

[14] The spill, which leaked into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, cost about $480 million in clean-up efforts.