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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Approves Dakota Access Pipeline Missouri River Crossing
Federal officials approved continued operation of the Dakota Access pipeline's Missouri River crossing with added monitoring conditions. The decision ends a regulatory review that began after 2016 protests and follows a final environmental impact statement released in December.
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Federal officials on Thursday granted final approval for the Dakota Access oil pipeline to continue operating its Missouri River crossing. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision allows the pipeline to keep running with added conditions for leak detection and groundwater monitoring.
The $3.8 billion pipeline has transported oil since June 2017 from North Dakota's Bakken field to a terminal in Illinois. It carries about 4 percent of U.S. daily oil production, or roughly 540,000 barrels per day.
The pipeline crosses the river upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's reservation. The tribe has opposed the project over concerns about potential spills and water contamination. The Corps added requirements including enhanced leak detection systems, expanded water monitoring, and third-party evaluations of those systems.
The agency also called for studies of ground sinking coordinated with affected tribes.
A company spokesperson said the pipeline has operated safely for nearly 10 years and supports national energy infrastructure. Officials from North Dakota and members of Congress welcomed the decision. The Corps said its choice balances public safety, environmental protection, and leak response needs.
The Associated Press contacted representatives for the tribe but received no immediate response. Energy Transfer and Enbridge are developing a project to move about 250,000 daily barrels of Canadian crude through the pipeline using a new 56-mile connecting line.
Enbridge will decide on the project in mid-2026.
