Controversial segment of Dakota Access oil pipeline approved by federal officials in Seattle
A recent decision by federal officials has allowed the Dakota Access oil pipeline to maintain operations over its contentious Missouri River crossing, a significant development following numerous protests against the project over the last ten years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted a key easement that allows the pipeline to continue operating, albeit with additional conditions focused on enhancing leak detection systems and groundwater monitoring. This conclusion signals the end of a prolonged legal and regulatory process that originated from the protests in 2016 and 2017, although further legal challenges related to the pipeline’s operations remain probable.
Since June 2017, the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline, spanning multiple states, has been transporting oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil field to an Illinois terminal, contributing to about 4% of U.S. daily oil production or roughly 540,000 barrels per day. The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Adam Telle, emphasized that the Corps has concluded years of delays and is now prepared to execute the crossing beneath Lake Oahe safely.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, located on the Dakotas’ border, has vehemently opposed the pipeline due to concerns over potential water contamination and spills. Thousands of individuals camped and protested near the river crossing in 2016 and 2017, leading to numerous arrests and ongoing litigations, including disputes with Greenpeace. Despite environmental impact concerns, the Corps finalized its environmental impact statement in December, supporting the option to grant the easement for the crossing under certain modifications.
Enhanced measures, such as improved leak detection systems and monitoring mechanisms, expanded groundwater and surface water monitoring, and evaluations conducted by third-party experts, were approved by the Corps. Additionally, there are stipulations for water supply contingency planning and coordinated studies with affected tribes. While the Corps pondered various options, including relocating the pipeline’s river crossing, the selected decision aimed to balance public safety, environmental protection, and leak detection and response needs while fulfilling the project’s objectives.
Energy Transfer, the pipeline’s developer, praised the Corps’ decision, highlighting the pipeline’s long-standing safe operations and its significance to the nation’s energy infrastructure. Expressing gratitude towards the Corps for its thorough review process, the company acknowledged the collaborative effort put in to reach a satisfactory outcome. Despite attempts to reach the tribe, media representatives for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe did not respond immediately to requests for comments.
Government officials, industry leaders, and pipeline supporters welcomed the decision, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the pipeline’s operations. The decision coincided with a time when officials and oil industry members were gathered for a trade conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. Energy Transfer and Enbridge, another pipeline company, are currently contemplating a project that would facilitate the transportation of light Canadian crude oil through the Dakota Access Pipeline by building a connecting line, pending further decisions to be made in mid-2026.