A chorus of voices continue to decry and demand the approval the Dakota Access Pipeline following the Corps decision to further delay a project that has already been extensively reviewed and approved by four state agencies and the federal government. Statements from the NAM, API, IUOE, and AOPL are included below.
Americans Have Demanded Change: Manufacturers Respond to President’s Decision on DAPL
National Association of Manufacturers, November 14, 2016
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons issued the following statement on President Obama’s decision to continue to delay approval of a key portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline project:
“Americans demanded change last week. Disregard for the rule of law and bad decisions from Washington, like the one today, are why so many have been frustrated and sought change.
“Manufacturers in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Arkansas and many other states who signed on to supply this project are now left hanging in continuing regulatory limbo and must come to grips with today’s wrongheaded decision.
“We look forward to working with the next administration on access to our energy to fix this mess, as the president-elect has indicated that he values the importance of energy infrastructure.”
Learn more about the importance of investing in our nation’s infrastructure, including ways to advance energy infrastructure, by reading the NAM’s Building to Win initiative.
API questions Obama administration action to delay the Dakota Access Pipeline
WASHINGTON, November 14, 2016 – API Midstream Group Director Robin Rorick questioned actions by the Obama administration to unilaterally delay construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“It defies logic that the Obama administration would ignore the rule of law by unilaterally delaying this critical infrastructure that would create American jobs and benefit American consumers,” said API Midstream Group Director Robin Rorick. “This project went through an established, open and transparent permitting process where comments from numerous stakeholders were considered. The administration’s actions to further delay this project with no legal justification contradict multiple court rulings; set a dangerous precedent for other infrastructure projects including roads, bridges and electricity transmission lines; and ignore calls to uphold the rule of law by the governors of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.
“Modernizing our infrastructure helps move energy our nation demands more efficiently, helps save consumers money, and provides tens of thousands of well-paying jobs. It’s unfortunate that the Obama administration would turn its back on its own citizens and put politics over sound public policy. I hope the administration reconsiders today’s action for the good of our nation’s energy future.”
API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 30 million Americans.
IUOE Calls for Immediate Issuance of Easement for Dakota Access
WASHINGTON, DC – James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), issued the following statement regarding the Dakota Access pipeline:
“The Administration’s announcement today raises more questions than it answers. The United States cannot afford to further delay the Dakota Access pipeline and throw workers off a job at the tail end of the construction season in the High Plains. The project has jumped through every regulatory hoop and cleared every hurdle in a rigorous, years-long permitting process and is nearly built.
The Administration has failed to identify what could realistically be achieved by more review. Despite years of study and hundreds of meetings that the Army Corps has conducted with tribes, farmers and communities along the route, the Administration insists on more meetings. The uncertainty looming over this project for construction workers, law enforcement and other companies looking to invest in energy infrastructure has gone on long enough.
As we near the end of this construction season, employment in the oil and gas pipeline industry continues its downward spiral, down by over 20% in the last two years. It is high time to finish this vital domestic energy project.”
AOPL: Pipeline Operators Decry Continued Administration Interference in Pipeline Approval Process
WASHINGTON, DC – The Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) decried the current administration’s continued refusal today to grant final approval for the Dakota Access Pipeline project even while admitting previous project decisions met legal requirements.
“This administration continues to astonish after admitting previous Dakota Access pipeline decisions were legal, which include the environmental and cultural finding of no significant impact, they are still refusing to provide final approval for the project,” said Andrew Black, AOPL President and CEO.
In July, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued a formal Finding of No Significant Impact after conducting an environmental review of the Dakota Access Pipeline project. Required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NEPA review represents the federal government’s official assessment of the environmental and cultural impacts of the project.
Dakota Access’s federal NEPA review found the proposed route for the pipeline is the preferred alternative and would have less of an impact on the environment than all other alternatives, including a different route of the pipeline or no pipeline at all.
A federal district court judge in September found the 250 interactions between the Corps, Dakota Access representatives and consulting tribal, cultural and historic representatives met or exceed the Corps’ legal obligations.
The administration after announcing in September an unprecedented halt to the approval process to conduct a review of previous agency actions has now “concluded that [the Corps’] previous decisions comported with legal requirements.” And yet, the administration in its November 14, 2016, letter to stakeholders still questions whether it will grant the final easement for the project.
The administration’s refusal to approve Dakota Access after finding the project meets its environmental and cultural obligations and admitting these findings were legal denies American workers the good-paying jobs this project will create. Refusing to approve Dakota Access denies American consumers the potential to benefit from lower prices additional supplies of energy transported by pipeline will bring.
AOPL urges the administration to respect the legal environmental and consultation approvals Dakota Access has already obtained and grant final approval to this project.