Former Regulator: Pipeline Exceeds Requirements

The former head of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials was in North Dakota Wednesday to inspect the Dakota Access pipeline. Brigham McCown said he cannot recall a case where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ever withdrew permits that were validly issued, and he believes the manner of that withdrawal should give everyone pause.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Morton County Commission Cody Schulz pushed back on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to further review the pipeline’s crossing at Lake Oahe, saying the federal agency is endangering everyone involved, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe announced a media event at the Oceti Sakowin camp on Friday. The event is to include tours of the camp and interviews with a variety of celebrities and influencers, as well as 25 of the youth water protectors who met with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama when the two visited the tribe in 2014.

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Statements from Members of Congress on Corps Indecision and Further Delay of DAPL

North Dakota Senator Hoeven issued a strong rebuke yesterday evening on the Corps decision to further delay the Dakota Access Pipeline and acknowledged the careful examination of the project by the agency and need to approve the project immediately. In addition, House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop indicated the facts surrounding the project have not changed and that it is time to approve the project.

Hoeven: Corps Should Issue The Dapl Easement And Resolve The Pipeline Situation In N.D.
U.S. John Hoeven, November 14, 2016

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in response to the Army Corps of Engineers’ announcement that it will further delay issuing a final easement that would allow construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline to be completed:

“The Corps today announced it will further delay issuing an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline. That will only prolong the disruption in the region caused by protests and make life difficult for everyone who lives and works in the area.

“U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled in September that the Corps has done its due diligence, and he allowed the project to proceed. Furthermore, the pipeline is sited in an existing right-of-way that already includes a natural gas pipeline and a high-voltage transmission line. The route has been altered 141 times to address sites of archaeological significance.

“The solution now is for the Corps to grant an easement for the project so that life can return to normal for our farmers, ranchers, tribal members and law enforcement officers, who have worked very hard to protect the lives and property of all. Further, I will continue to call on the Obama administration to provide federal resources and funding to help ensure public safety.”

The senator has been working to support state and local law enforcement efforts, which include bringing in additional law enforcement resources through EMAC, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, so that people living in the region feel safe and private property rights are protected. Hoeven and the congressional delegation have also been working to bring federal resources to assist local law enforcement in their efforts to keep the peace and deal with the protests.

Bishop: Dakota Access Delays Jeopardize Future Infrastructure Investment and Development
House Natural Resources Committee, November 15, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 15, 2016 – Yesterday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced they will begin another round of discussions and analysis on the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL) project with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Energy Transfer Partners and Dakota Access, LLC. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement:

“From the beginning of this controversy, the Obama administration exploited Native Americans to advance an obstructionist and radical environmental agenda.

“The facts haven’t changed. The route was approved the first time around after an exhaustive permitting process under the established regulatory framework, including the Mineral Leasing Act. The president’s increasingly autocratic interventions create massive uncertainty that jeopardizes future infrastructure investment and development. This is a mockery of our constitutional system and beyond the pale for any administration. Americans are counting down the days until we can return a semblance of certainty and professionalism to the federal government’s permitting process.”


Dakota Access Likely to be Safest Pipeline in State

In the worst-case scenario, a leak from the Dakota Access pipeline would release 19,000 barrels — about 800,000 gallons — of oil at a location near Williston. That is the maximum release on the North Dakota part of the 1,172-mile line, according to an analysis Dakota Access was required to complete as part of its permit application with the Public Service Commission.


President Obama Weighs In on DAPL, Emphasizes Importance of Moving Our Energy Resources Safely

President Obama recently weighed into the conversation surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline. In an August 31st letter addressed to critics of the project, Mr. Obama outlined the need for the continued investment in alternative energy technologies, but rebuked the unrealistic notion that all fossil fuel production must cease immediately. To the contrary, he instead stressed his belief that safety must be at the forefront of American energy policy.

“Of course, we cannot complete the transition to a clean-energy economy overnight. We will continue to rely partly on fossil fuels—and while we do so, safety must be our first priority.”

Mr. Obama is right to emphasize the need for a safety-oriented approach when it comes to harnessing the power of our domestic energy resources. The Dakota Access Pipeline could not align better with this vision as it will serve as essential step to modernizing our nation’s energy infrastructure. By offering a safe, efficient means for transporting our energy resources, the pipeline will drastically reduce the volume of crude oil traveling through our communities in accident-prone railcars and trucks.

Furthermore, the Dakota Access Pipeline is being built by the most qualified workforce available – men and women who have dedicated their lives to advancing America’s infrastructure in a manner that ensures safe operation and long-term integrity. The pipeline will employ the latest in safety monitoring technology and in many cases, by built in a manner that exceeds federal guidelines and standards.

The MAIN Coalition applauds Mr. Obama for his thoughtful, realistic response to a set of impracticable demands that had been imposed upon him.

Click here to read Mr. Obama’s full letter.