Full Breakdown
Federal Approval Secures Dakota Access Pipeline’s Missouri River Crossing
5/24/2026, 9:16:44 PM
Final Approval of the Missouri River Crossing
On Thursday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) to keep crossing Missouri River near Lake Oahe. The decision adds enhanced leak detection, groundwater and surface-water monitoring, third-party review, and contingency planning. The Corps said the action “best balances public safety, environmental protection, and leak detection while meeting project’s purpose.”
Background
DAPL began moving oil from Bakken field to Illinois in June 2017. In 2016-2017, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and supporters camped near the crossing, prompting arrests and lawsuits. A federal judge later ordered a stricter environmental review; in December the Corps issued an impact statement endorsing the easement with conditions.
Stakeholders & Data
Key parties are Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (opposes the crossing), Army Corps of Engineers (issued the easement), Energy Transfer, Enbridge (planning a 56-mile connector to add 250,000 barrels per day of Canadian crude), and officials Kelly Armstrong, Doug Burgum, John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer (who welcomed the decision). $3.8 billion line transports 540,000 barrels per day, 4 % of U.S. oil production.
Official Statements & Responses
Corps said decision reflects input and tribal consultation; Energy Transfer cited DAPL’s ten-year safety record and its role in energy infrastructure; North Dakota officials called outcome a step toward securing energy supply; and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said it will keep pursuing legal options to defend treaty rights and water.
Criticism & Opposition
Tribe called the decision “a reiteration of past conclusions that minimize and reject Tribal expertise” in protecting lands, resources and cultural properties, and said impact report does not address threats to tribal homelands, drinking water or spill-response plan.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Corps says the easement balances safety, protection, and leak detection; the tribe argues impact assessment fails to consider risks to water supply and cultural sites. Litigation over the crossing remains unresolved, and spill-response strategy unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “decisively putting years of delays to rest and moving out to safely execute this crossing beneath Lake Oahe,” — Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary
- “The Tribe will evaluate all legal and political options to defend our Treaty rights, protect Mni Wiconi – Water of Life, and hold the Federal government and private corporations accountable to the highest standards of environmental stewardship and Tribal consultation,” — Steve Sitting Bear, Chairman
- “Today’s decision merely restates past conclusions and represents a pattern of minimizing and rejecting Tribal expertise in sustaining our lands, resources, and cultural properties,” — Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
- “We want to thank the Corps for the tremendous amount of time and effort put in by so many to bring this matter to a thoughtful close,” — Vicki Granado, spokesperson
What’s Next
Enbridge will decide by mid-2026 whether to proceed with the Canadian-crude connector; tribe’s legal challenges continue and further spill-response reviews may follow.
