Walker Says Koch Ties Won’t Affect Support for Spill Victims

Gov. Scott Walker says his financial ties to the petroleum industry aren’t curtailing his concern about two recent pipeline leaks.

Clean-up continues at pipeline spills in Washington and Adams County. Gov. Walker says he’s monitoring the work through state agencies like the DNR. Neither pipeline is among those owned in Wisconsin by the Koch family, which gave money to Walker’s recall campaign. And Walker says he’s not holding back on criticizing the pipeline industry because of his Koch family connections.

Walker says there could be more state spending next year in connection with pipeline spills.

At least 16 wells in Washington County have been contaminated by the gasoline spill there, and the federal government has just added new conditions before the broken crude oil pipeline in Adams County can be used again.