The acting secretary of the Army has instructed federal officials to issue the easement necessary to build a controversial segment of the Dakota Access pipeline, members of the North Dakota congressional delegation said Tuesday.
By Devin Henry - 01/31/17 08:29 PM EST
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The acting secretary of the Army has instructed federal officials to issue the easement necessary to build a controversial segment of the Dakota Access pipeline, members of the North Dakota congressional delegation said Tuesday.
“The Acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer informed us that he has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with the easement needed to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline,” Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said in a Tuesday night statement.
“This will enable the company to complete the project, which can and will be built with the necessary safety features to protect the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others downstream.”
Speer’s order comes one week after President Trump signed a directive instructing the Army Corps to quickly issue a construction easement for a stretch of the Dakota Access pipeline in North Dakota.
Hoeven’s statement did not say the Army Corps has actually issued the easement, a step that would allow construction to move forward. An agency official did immediately reply to a request for comment on Tuesday.
“For months, North Dakotans have been on edge over the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the protests surrounding it, and for months they have faced uncertainty and delays on the ultimate fate of the project while constant disruptions took a toll on the sense of safety and security of communities near the construction," Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) said.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/317254-senator-army-corps-told-to-clear-way-for-dakota-access-construction
