Snow won't delay the Dakota Access Pipeline

TOM STROMME/TribuneA group of people stand on the edge of Cantapeta Creek near the growing Sacred Stones Overflow Protest Camp in Morton County on Thursday November 24, 2016. The large camp of people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline is now estimated have more than 3000 people living in a variety of shelters on Army Corps of Engineers land. — Forum News Service

By Jessica Holdman, Bismarck Tribune

November 30, 2016 at 9:09 AM

BISMARCK-The 8 inches or more of snow that fell across most of western and central North Dakota would not delay the completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

"Winter construction is done regularly throughout the country," said Vicki Granado, a spokeswoman for the 1,172-mile crude oil pipeline's developer, Energy Transfer Partners.

What does stand in the way is a final easement to drill under the Missouri River north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The granting of that easement has been delayed, in large part due to opposition led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which has said a leak in the pipeline would contaminate the river and its supply of drinking water.

"At this time, we are readying everything at the drill site in anticipation of beginning the drill ... as soon as we have the approval to do so," Granado said.

All other construction in North Dakota is complete.

Granado said there is some incomplete reclamation work, which will be done after the winter months and will not delay the pipeline going into service.

Snow won't delay the Dakota Access Pipeline

BISMARCK--The 8 inches or more of snow that fell across most of western and central North Dakota would not delay the completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline.