Dakota Access Pipeline Moving Into Final Approvals Process

The acting US Army secretary has directed the US Army Corps of Engineers to grant the easement necessary to finish the billion-dollar Dakota Access Pipeline project.

The final process of approvals is needed so the pipeline can complete construction across the Missouri River, according to Senator John Hoevan of North Dakota. In a statement to the press, Hoeven's spokesperson said the easement “isn’t quite issued yet, but they plan to approve it”, ‘within days’ he added.

MG Malcolm Frost, US army chief of public affairs, said in a statement on Wednesday that the government was acting on Donald Trump’s order “to expeditiously review requests for approvals to construct and operate the Dakota Access pipeline in compliance with the law”.

The easement has not yet been approved and the assistant secretary for civil works will “make a decision on the pipeline once a full review and analysis is completed”, he said