Army Corps begins environmental review of Dakota Access oil pipeline; public comments sought

Construction equipment sits near a Dakota Access Pipeline construction site off County Road 135 near the town of Cannon Ball, N.D., on Oct. 30, 2016. (REUTERS / Josh Morgan) BISMARCK — The Army Corps of Engineers launched an extensive review of the Dakota Access Pipeline this week, the latest in a winding legal battle. Following a federal judge’s order in July, the Corps began its evaluation of the environmental impacts of the oil pipeline at its Missouri River crossing, according to a notice published in the Federal Register Thursday, Sept. 10. The Missouri River crossing, which is in North Dakota just off the Standing Rock Reservation, has been the site of intense protest over the years as environmentalists and tribal members argue that the crossing endangers Standing Rock’s water source. The start of the Corps’ environmental impact statement (EIS) kicks off a 45-day public comment period, running until Monday, Oct. 26, during which the agency will hear input on the scope of their review and hold public video conferences on their plans for the evaluation. Those meetings are scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Central time on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 15 and 16. “As the lead federal agency, the Corps […]

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