We’re now two weeks into the cleanup of the ExxonMobil oil spill in the Yellowstone River near Billings, and while we still don’t have all the answers — among them, exactly why the spill strarted, how much oil it actually involved and how much more effort the cleanup will take — a few things have become apparent.

Most importantly, we want the Yellowstone River put back the way it was before the spill. The state is absolutely right to demand no less of Exxon, and absolutely right to demand access, from both Exxon and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, to the entire cleanup process, including records documenting the type of oil in the pipeline and the history of the pipeline itself.