The governor of North Dakota is confident that the Dakota Access Pipeline is not dead.
Republican Governor Doug Burgum, who has been openly supportive of the DAPL project, told Reuters this week:
“I expect the world’s going to change dramatically on that day relative to finding resolution on this issue. I would expect that (Energy Transfer Partners, DAPL’s parent company) will get its easement and it will go through.”
Gov. Burgum seems very optimistic, ignoring the fact that the U.S. Army Corp denied a key easement needed to complete the project just last month.
Since then the company behind the project, Energy Transfer Partners, vowed to push through on the project, even if they had to go so far as completing construction without the required permits. The Dakota Access company has also filed a lawsuit against the Army Corps. Both the Standing Rock Sioux and the Army Corps have filed a motion for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
Donald Trump formally announced his support for the completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline last month. Although the President-elect claims otherwise, his support may be due to his personal investments in the project.
Gov. Burgum has been pushing for a clean up of the camps that more than 700 water protectors remain at. “The amount of cleanup that needs to take place is enormous. We’ve got a potential ecological disaster if this land floods and all the debris flows downstream into tribal lands.” Hundreds of vehicles, temporary dwellings, and other miscellaneous detritus have been abandoned at the campsites.
Although the protests have been going on for nearly a year, Burgum only took office last month. Less than 24 hours after taking office he criticized the Obama Administration, stating they have “politically stalled a legally permitted project.”
In the same statement, Burgum also threw his whole support behind the DAPL project, saying:
“I support the legal completion of this pipeline. Make no mistake, this infrastructure is good for our economy. And it’s the safest way to transport North Dakota products. Failure to finish it would send a chilling signal to those in any industry who wish invest in our state and play by the rules.”
COMMENTS