Pipeline operator Energy Transfer says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is unlikely to shut down the Dakota Access oil pipeline following an environmental review of a section that has faced challenges from Native American tribes.
The long-awaited review comes after a U.S. court in 2022 ordered a more thorough environmental impact statement from the federal government. A final EIS will be complete in late 2024 following receipt of public and agency comments.
There are five alternative options to address the fact that the pipe runs under Lake Oahe, which is a federally protected reservoir. These including moving the pipeline to bypass the lake or abandoning the pipeline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ draft statement, issued in September, did not indicate a preferred option but said it will do so in the final version.
“We’re not affected by (the EIS study),” Energy Transfer Executive Chair Kelcy Warren said. “They’re certainly not going to shut us down.”
