The James Smith First Nation believes partial government inaction is to blame for an oil spill that dumped 225,000 litres of crude into the South Saskatchewan River last summer.

A statement of claim was filed this week in Melfort court alleges that both the provincial and federal governments ignored pipeline safety regulations.

The document filed Thursday states, "failure to effectively regulate pipelines could result in foreseeable harm to people or to the environment and made recommendations as to how the provincial Crown could take action to ensure compliance with its statutory requirements."

After the Husky line was breached communities along the river had to either pump water from another resource of have it hauled in.

The breach in the line was caused by ground shifting.

None of the band's allegations have been proven in court.