Army Will Not Grant Easement For Dakota Access Pipeline Crossing

The Department of the Army has decided not to grant an easement for the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline to pass beneath Lake Oahe in North Dakota. This announcement was made today by Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Works.

Darcy explained that her decision stems from the need to look into alternative pipeline routes. On November 14, 2016, her office announced a delay in the decision to allow further talks with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose reservation is located just half a mile south of the proposed crossing. The tribe has consistently voiced concerns about the risk of a pipeline rupture or spill, which could threaten their water supply and treaty rights.

Darcy noted that, despite ongoing discussions and the exchange of new information with the Standing Rock Sioux and Dakota Access, further work remains necessary. She emphasized that the most responsible and efficient approach to addressing the issues is to explore alternative routes for the pipeline crossing.

Darcy also said that evaluating these alternative routes would be best handled through an Environmental Impact Statement, which would include public input and a detailed analysis.

The Dakota Access Pipeline is roughly 1,172 miles long, designed to link the Bakken and Three Forks oil fields in North Dakota to a crude oil terminal in Pakota, Illinois. It is a 30-inch-wide pipeline intended to transport about 470,000 barrels of oil daily, with a maximum capacity of 570,000 barrels. The current proposed route would cross Lake Oahe, a section of the Missouri River managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.