The Dakota Access Pipeline is a new 1,172-mile pipeline that will connect the Bakken and Three Forks production areas in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. The Dakota Access Pipeline will make it more profitable for Energy Transfer to ship crude oil from North Dakota to existing refineries.
The Dakota Access Pipeline is downright dangerous for North Dakotans — especially farmers and others who work off the land.
The Dakota Access Pipeline will transport approximately 470,000 barrels per day with a capacity as high as 570,000 barrels per day or more – which could represent approximately half of Bakken current daily crude oil production. In the event of a spill, all of this oil would be likely to seep into the groundwater of North Dakota, ruining agricultural endeavors and poisoning residents.
Depending upon regulatory approvals, the Dakota Access Pipeline is projected to be in service by the fourth quarter of 2016.
Three federal agencies issued a joint statement on September 9, explaining that:
“The Army will not authorize constructing the Dakota Access Pipeline on Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe until it can determine whether it will need to reconsider any of its previous decisions regarding the Lake Oahe site.” Army Joint Statement, http://bit.ly/2dveZRa
The Dakota Access Pipeline is no ordinary pipeline. It is very large, with a 36 inch diameter and capacity of 570,000 barrels per day – it would significantly increase the total capacity of the pipelines crossing the Missouri River. DAPL presents a far greater risk to the environment and public health than other, smaller liquid and natural gas lines. Oil pipelines pose more risk to water supplies and have more construction impacts than other methods of transporting oil.
Dakota Access Pipeline LLC has filed 23 condemnation suits against 140 individuals, banks and a coal mine to gain easements through North Dakota. Most of the suits were filed in December against landowners in Williams, Mountrail, McKenzie, Dunn, Mercer and Morton Counties. Places that are already being run down by destructive infrastructural development.
