Senator: Army Corps told to give easement to Dakota Access Pipeline

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) announced Tuesday night that acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer told him he has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to issue the easement necessary to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline.

"This will enable the company to complete the project, which can and will be built with the necessary safety features to protect the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others downstream," he said in a statement. It is not clear if the easement has been issued yet, the first step in starting construction. The tribe has been fighting the pipeline, which would be built under Lake Oahe in North Dakota, saying it threatens their water supply and will go through sacred land. In November, Obama administration officials did not issue the easement, and instead said they would conduct an environmental impact assessment; last week, President Trump signed an executive order pushing the pipeline through. In a statement, the tribe said the Army Corps cannot stop the review and must work with Congress or the tribe before issuing the easement.